Karl Bushby, the British adventurer who left in 1998 intent on walking around the world, is finally closing in on the finish line after 27 years on the road. Over the decades he has covered roughly 30,000 miles — trekking north through South America, crossing the United States to Alaska, making the perilous Bering Strait crossing into Siberia, moving across Asia and now entering Europe.
Early in his odyssey Bushby encountered unexpected generosity. Indigenous communities in Chile welcomed him, shared food and offered help that kept his journey going. He has also faced some of the planet’s most dangerous places: the Darién Gap in 2000, which he describes as a war zone rife with cartels and illicit plantations, and the Bering Strait, where weather and ice can become lethal within minutes.
The trip tested more than his body. Bushby has endured emotional hardship, including the deaths of people close to him, and adjusted to technological change along the way — he bought his first touchscreen device in 2013. He learned to balance self-reliance with the kindness of strangers, relying on both to press forward.
When asked what he wants others to take away from his journey, he is blunt: “Don’t be afraid. Get off the couch. Get out of bed. Make it happen.” After a globe-spanning trek that has tested his endurance and spirit, Bushby remains a living example that life’s meaning often lies in the journey itself. Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, London.