A man has taken an astonishing 28 years to return home. A British explorer, who set out from South America in 1998, has finally arrived back in his hometown and reunited with his mother.
On November 2, according to reports from Reuters and the Associated Press, former British paratrooper Cal Buysbee, 57, reached Hull in northern England, completing his 28-year journey on foot around the world.
Buysbee began his trek on November 1, 1998, from Punta Arenas in southern Chile. At the age of 29, he established two principles for his journey: he would not use motorized transport and would not return to the UK until his journey was complete.
He traveled approximately 31,000 miles (50,000 kilometers), crossing four continents and 30 countries, including regions in the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
The journey was fraught with challenges. In 2001, he traversed the treacherous Darien Gap connecting South America and Central America, and in 2006, he crossed the frozen Bering Strait from Alaska to Russia. Along the way, he encountered polar bears and nearly lost his life after falling into icy waters.
Crossing borders proved difficult as well. He was detained in Panama and Russia and faced prolonged delays due to visa issues. The 2008 financial crisis made it hard for him to secure sponsorship, and the COVID-19 pandemic further delayed his journey.
Before returning home, he swam across the Caspian Sea and the English Channel to adhere to his principle of not using boats or planes.
Buysbee did not walk the entire 28 years. In an interview with the BBC, he explained that he spent about 15 years actually traveling, while the rest of the time was spent resolving visa and border issues.
Initially, he estimated his journey would take over 12 years. Buysbee told the AP he never imagined it would take 28 years.
The long journey came at a cost. He spent many years away from his family, and due to his principle of not returning to the UK, he had to meet family members in other countries.
Upon arriving home, Buysbee was welcomed by hundreds of supporters. After a welcome ceremony in front of the town hall, he continued on foot to his home, where his mother, Angela, awaited him.
After 28 years apart, his mother tearfully asked, "Where have you been?" Buysbee embraced her, marking the end of his long journey.
In front of the cheering crowd, he joked, "I’m sorry to have kept you waiting so long," and expressed gratitude for the help he received from people around the world during his return.
Meanwhile, his journey is set to be documented by German filmmaker Werner Herzog.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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