A British adventurer who has dedicated an extraordinary 27 years to travelling globe has revealed the two most terrifying locations he encountered during his epic journey. Karl Bushby, a former paratrooper who reportedly seeks to become the first person to accomplish a continuous round-the-world walk, commenced his colossal expedition in Chile in 1998 and will soon return to Britain after nearly three decades on the road.
The 56-year-old, hailing from Kingston upon Hull, has witnessed his share of peril throughout the years. As part of his fittingly titled 36,000-mile Goliath Expedition, Karl has swum across the Caspian Sea and trekked through the American and Asian continents. Two specific adventures emerged when describing some of his most frightening encounters.
His first occurred whilst crossing the notorious Darién Gap, connecting Central and South America, where he discovered himself in the “middle of a war zone”, reports Unilad.
Karl told CBS News: “And then there’s a whole layer above that of cartels and drug plantations, and then really, really tough jungle.”
Stretching across Panama and Colombia, and recognised as one of the most perilous migration routes on Earth, the Darién Gap is an infamous 60-mile passage distinguished by challenging landscape, including mountains and rainforests.
Its hazards encompass hot temperatures, heavy rainfall, rivers that people must ford, mosquitoes, crocodiles, venomous snakes, and criminals, with human trafficking, extortion, robbery, rape and sexual assault reportedly common.
Karl also spotlighted a trek he undertook across the Bering Strait, situated between the Pacific and Arctic oceans, where he encountered a polar bear.
He stated: “You’re in a very serious world that will kill you in 20 minutes if you mess up.”
Positioned between Alaska and Russia, the strait is a wildlife haven housing species including beluga, bowhead and gray whales and, naturally, polar bears.
Despite the danger, Karl managed to complete the crossing alongside American companion Dimitri Kieffer.
The adventurous pair reportedly journeyed from Alaska to Siberia, navigating ice flows and swimming through patches of open water, only to face arrest by Russian authorities upon arrival for illegal entry and subsequent deportation.
As of November 6, Karl was approaching Budapest as he headed towards his home city of Hull, which he previously acknowledged would be a “very strange place to be” after such an extended period travelling, reports the BBC.
He also revealed that concluding his expedition was a “positively scary” prospect and was “going to be hard”.
Karl remarked: “I’ve spoken with a number of long-distance walkers, some walking five years or more, and they have told me it’s very difficult returning to normal society.
“The key will be throwing myself into another mission, to have another goal.”
Karl also offered his evaluation of humanity, disclosing that “99.99% of the world is good” and the world isn’t as frightening “as you might think”, even in regions that we “might not expect”.