„If I have to swim across the Channel Tunnel from France to England, I obviously will – though it will be colder than the Caspian.” 
Last year, he completed a 300 km swim across the Caspian Sea, becoming the first person ever to do so.

Ex-paratrooper Karl Bushby, 56, set off from Chile in 1998 and is now approaching Budapest, Hungary. He joins us at the festival with a wealth of stories to share with our community.

According to the rules he set for himself at the very beginning, Karl cannot use any kind of transport – not even ferries.

„Even the Russians let me through their country, despite global tensions.”
Karl also plans to make a special delivery when he reaches Austria next year: 
”Back in Chile, right at the start of my journey, a doctor gave me 50 bucks and asked me to hand-deliver a postcard to his brother in Vienna, Austria. I intend to do that. I expect it will be the longest delivery time in history for a letter!”

Now nearing the end of his 56,000 km adventure, he reflects: „It’s going to be hard. I’ve spoken with a number of long-distance walkers – some who’ve walked for five years or more – and they’ve told me it’s very difficult to return to normal life. I can see myself in a classroom, sharing good news with children like 99.99% of the world is good. The world isn’t as scary as you might think. Even in places where you’d least expect it, I’ve found kind and generous people. In Peru, I was welcomed into homes literally made of cardboard, just to share a bowl of rice.”