Karl Bushby, an ex-soldier, has completed a 36,000-mile walk that began in Hull in 1998 and took him across the Americas, Asia and Europe. He recently swam the English Channel to return to England and plans to walk home to Hull, hoping to arrive on 1 November, the same date he originally departed.
Over nearly three decades, Bushby has faced extreme hardship. He has been held at gunpoint, deported, nearly drowned, nearly died of thirst and nearly been eaten. He has also fallen in love during his journey.
Now in Dover, Bushby marked his return with fish and chips and mushy peas. In a video recorded for social media, he expressed surprise at the dish itself. "Mushy peas, my God, I forgot they even existed," he said. He described British fish and chips as special, noting that the combination of a large piece of fish with proper batter is not found in other parts of the world.
Bushby set off from Hull in 1998 and has spent the past 28 years on the road. His expedition has taken him through deserts, across continents and into encounters with wildlife including polar bears. The final leg of his journey, from Dover back to Hull, represents the completion of a walk that has spanned nearly three decades.
The Guardian reported that Bushby has already completed the physical act of returning to England by swimming the Channel. His walk home to Hull, scheduled to begin the day after his Dover visit, will mark the official end of his long expedition.