Around the world walk delayed by Ukraine war

Karl Bushby set off on his global walk in 1998

A man hoping to become the first person to complete an unbroken round-the-world walk says tensions with Russia and Iran have left his plans in disarray.

Karl Bushby, 53, from Hull, set off in 1998 and is now 26,000 miles (42,000km) into the 36,000-mile (58,000km) walk.

The ex-paratrooper reached Turkmenistan, on the Iranian border, in 2019 but encountered visa problems, forcing him to put his expedition on hold.

Since then Covid restrictions, the political situation between Iran and the US, and the war in Ukraine, have all delayed his progress.

Speaking from Mexico, where he has been living for the past two-and-a-half years, Mr Bushby said: "I have got to start moving again. It's the most difficult position I've been in on this expedition. It feels like I'm treading a wall of friction between the West and the East. I have to find a way through."

With Iran "out of the question", Mr Bushby looked to Russia - a country he has previously visited on his walk.

"Spring 2022 and the war in Ukraine kicked off," said Mr Bushby. "So now Russia is off limits, too."

Mr Bushby believes the only viable option that remains involves swimming 160 miles (257km) across the Caspian Sea, from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan.

Under the rules he set himself prior to beginning the walk, Mr Bushby cannot use any form of transport.

"Swimming across the Caspian Sea is now Plan A," he said. "I am looking to do this in summer 2023. I am going to spent the next year getting myself into the right condition.

"The Caspian Sea has been swum before but we're talking a handful of individuals who do this kind of extreme swimming. There are people who do this kind of swimming all the time. I am not one of them."

Mr Bushby said the crossing would probably take "a month or so" to complete and would be done in stages.

He added: "After Azerbaijan, I'm into Georgia. At that point, I'm on the home straight."

In March 2006, Mr Bushby and French adventurer Dimitri Kieffer crossed the Bering Strait on foot, trekking across a frozen 56-mile (90km) section in 15 days.

While crossing the Russian border near the Chukotkan village of Uelen, the pair were detained by officials for not entering the country at a correct port of entry.

Mr Bushby added: "I was young and fit then. I'm now 53. Swimming this sort of distance, across the Caspian Sea, is going to take a lot of stamina."