The Man Who Walked Around the World
Imagine you actually set out on a goal that was so out there, so distant, so expansive. Well, Karl Bushby did. The goal? To walk around the world.
The Manifest
It's not so often that we hear a common child’s dream genuinely pursued. That's what makes this story so important to be heard. It all started when Bushby was a school student with severe dyslexia. He claims “I used to dream about great big journeys on foot. I started drawing lines on maps, and the conversation spread between friends.” Subsequently, he dropped out of school at 16, in which he joined the junior Parachute regiment for the British military. His father, a British SAS soldier, once sent him a birthday card during his 20s in the mail about a discussion he and his colleagues had about walking from London to New York. That, he said, was an epiphany for him. Over the following years, Bushby dived deeper into the subject, finding both obstacles and hope along the way. The biggest turning point and catalyst for his expedition was when he divorced his wife Angela and could not see his son. At that point, he knew he had to accomplish his dream.
Route
Bushby started in Puentes Areas, Chile, on November 1st, 1998. With only 500 dollars, he began his journey north. His first major obstacle was the Darien Gap, an ungoverned jungle terrain between Colombia and Panama. Even worse, the section is made more dangerous by the heavy cartels and violence within the area. Bushby successfully used his military training to talk himself out of stressful moments and navigate the swampy jungle. His next major obstacle was swimming and walking across the Bering Straight, the 53-55 mile icy gap between Alaska and Russia. Upon arrival, he was arrested for illegal entry to Russia which delayed his journey for years due to the slow legal system. When he got to Asia, he had to face geopolitical obstacles, having to swim again across the Caspian Sea. Just this last month, Bushby left Europe by swimming across the English channel, finally making it back to his home country after 27 years. This story is not over yet, however. On November 1st of this year, Bushby plans to reunite with his mother in his hometown of Hull, England, making it an exactly 28 year trip. Additionally, on November 1st, he will have successfully followed the two rules he set on the first day. 1: No using forms of transportation. 2: No returning back to England until he finishes.
Summary
What was initially a 12-year journey unwinded into 28 years. Life throws crazy obstacles at us that inhibit immediate gratification. In this case, Karl Bushby had some unusual circumstances but made the most out of them. He persevered, didn’t quit, and remembered what he was fighting for → family. I hope this can be a story for all of us. Karl Bushby took a look at his life, and decided to explore. He wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
“I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”
— Dr. Charles Swindoll
Other
It's pretty hard to condense a 28 year story into a couple of paragraphs. So I would encourage diving a little deeper to understand the true backstory by… (reading his book, watching his documentary, or looking him up).
Karl Bushby Website: https://karlbushby.world/
I hope you enjoyed this issue. Stay tuned for the next one!
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