Globe walker heads for record

Karl began his journey in November 1998

A former soldier is on course to smash the world record for the longest walk in history by taking a 10-year hike.

It was more than three years ago when Karl Bushby first left Chile at the start of his mammoth walking expedition.

Some 10,000 miles later the 33-year-old is on his way to making record-breaking history - so long as he keeps on walking.

When he arrives back in Britain the Hull-born walker will have covered an incredible 36,000 miles on foot.

Suitably entitled the Goliath Expedition, Karl's journey will see him on a non-stop tour of four continents and 25 countries.

Unbroken trail

During that time, his amazing adventure will mean him scaling seven mountain ranges, crossing six deserts and trekking across a frozen sea.

Like many adventurers before him, Karl's motivation for the incredible trek is the fulfilment of a personal dream.

"It is possible to journey by foot from the southern most point of South America back to England and leave behind you an unbroken trail of footprints," proclaims his website.

And it is Karl's aim to prove that.

"I can do it," he told the BBC's David Willis who caught up with him in Arizona.

It was quite an adventure, spending four days floating down a jungle river camouflaged as floating debris

Karl Bushby

Karl, a father-of-one, first began his trek on 1 November 1998. He has already walked South and Central America.

His trek is the stuff of adventure stories and the ex-paratrooper's is keeping his own personal diary to record the highs and lows of his walk.

Karl says he has been "overwhelmed" by the kindness he has already encountered, with numerous offers of a warm meal and a bed for the night during his travels across the US.

But his travels have not all been so comfortable.

Travelling the Darien Gap, between Panama and Colombia has been the most perilous.

He said: "It was quite an adventure, spending four days floating down a jungle river camouflaged as floating debris and then in the jungle with a machete in my hand."

Karl's next port of call will be due to be the bright lights of Las Vegas and then on to Salt Lake City.

The rest of his epic journey will take Karl through Canada, Alaska, and Russia and then Europe as he beats a path back to Britain.

If he keeps up his current speed, Karl hopes to be home in Hull by 2009 - at the end of the longest ever unbroken expedition on foot.

Karl is hoping for sponsorship to help him finish his monumental trip - his journey across the Arctic circle will be especially gruelling.

'Shoestring'

Andy Cooper, from the expedition's UK support team told BBC News Online: "It will mean crossing 1,000 miles of white and broken ice.

"We'll need funding for a safety teams, back-up vehicles and a stand-by aircraft."

So far he has managed "on a shoestring" living off berries and wheat to keep the costs down.

Anyone who would like to help should contact the Goliath Expedition by email on: [e-mail].

And tales of his adventures can be read on the website: www.earthtrekuk.net.