Imagine dedicating nearly three decades of your life to walking around the globe, only to be stopped by a 21-mile stretch of water. That’s the reality Karl Bushby is facing as he nears the end of his extraordinary 27-year journey. But here’s where it gets controversial: the English Channel, a seemingly minor obstacle, could halt his historic expedition—unless he breaks his own rules or takes on a perilous swim. Could this be the final, unscripted chapter of his Goliath Expedition?
Karl Bushby’s odyssey began on November 1, 1998, in Punta Arenas, Chile. With two self-imposed rules—no returning home until the journey’s end and no use of transportation—he’s traversed some of the world’s most unforgiving terrains. From the treacherous Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama to the icy Bering Strait into Siberia, Bushby has pushed through war zones, visa hurdles, and financial strain. His route has taken him across Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan, culminating in a triumphant return to Europe earlier this year when he crossed Istanbul’s Bosphorus Bridge.
Since then, he’s marched through Turkey, Bulgaria, and now Romania, inching closer to his final destination. And this is the part most people miss: the English Channel, a logistical nightmare, threatens to derail his journey. Under his rules, sailing is off-limits, leaving the Channel Tunnel as the only feasible option—except it’s strictly prohibited for pedestrians. Bushby’s team has pleaded for special access to the 4.8-meter-wide service tunnel, but officials have remained silent, leaving him in limbo.
“It would be pretty miserable if it was a no,” Bushby told the BBC, reflecting on the irony that even Russia granted him passage during global tensions. If denied, his only recourse is to swim—a daunting prospect for someone who openly admits, “I’m definitely not a swimmer, nor do I like swimming.” Last year, he and Angela Maxwell swam the Caspian Sea, a 288-kilometer feat that took 27 days. But the English Channel? It’s colder, more treacherous, and entirely unplanned.
Here’s the bold question: Should Bushby compromise his principles and swim, or hold firm to his rules and risk his journey’s completion? With months left to cross Hungary, Austria, Germany, and France before reaching the Channel, time is ticking. Will officials grant him permission, or will this modern-day Odysseus be forced to rewrite his final chapter? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—is this a test of endurance, bureaucracy, or both?
