Karl Bushby’s 28-Year Journey Around the World — and a Dinner I’ll Never Forget!

Ingrid Lemme

53 minutes ago

4 min read

Karl Bushby, 2024 in Columbia, North Carolina

Karl Bushby’s 28-Year Journey Around the World — and a Dinner I’ll Never Forget

The British adventurer’s remarkable Goliath Expedition brings back memories of an unexpected encounter, a small North Carolina town, and a homemade dinner.

By Ingrid Lemme-Chalut | Escape From Paradise

As featured in the December–January 2027 issue of The Montauk Sun, in print from Montauk and the Hamptons to Manhattan, and online at www.MontaukSun.com. --- Edited by John Lomitola

In 2014, British adventurer Karl Bushby walked into the tiny town of Columbia, North Carolina, pushing a heavily loaded cart he called “The Beast.” Sixteen years into his extraordinary journey around the world, he was still thousands of miles from home. By evening, this remarkable stranger would be sitting at my dinner table!

At the time, I was living in a little house at Legion Beach along the Albemarle Sound. After retiring as marketing director of Gurney’s Inn Resort, Spa & Conference Center in Montauk, New York, family ties had brought me to this quiet fishing and farming community. I never imagined that one of the world’s most determined adventurers would cross my path there.

Historic Columbia — A Little Town on the Scuppernong River

Nestled along the banks of the Scuppernong River, historic Columbia is one of northeastern North Carolina’s hidden treasures. Founded in the late 18th century and serving as the county seat of Tyrrell County, this charming waterfront town has long been shaped by fishing, farming, and the waterways connecting it to the Albemarle Sound. Its historic Main Street, old storefronts, welcoming residents, and peaceful riverfront reflect a slower pace of life that has become increasingly rare.

Surrounded by vast wetlands and wildlife refuges, Columbia remains a gateway to the natural beauty of the Inner Banks. It is the kind of place where strangers still greet one another, neighbors look out for each other, and hospitality comes naturally. Perhaps that is why Karl Bushby’s unexpected arrival in 2014 became such a memorable experience for me.

Karl had walked from Plymouth, North Carolina, on his way to Nags Head on the Outer Banks. I met him at Elements, the coffee shop associated with Vineyards on the Scuppernong, now known as the Mercantile. Fascinated by his Goliath Expedition, I interviewed him for the Scuppernong Gazette, a magazine I published in Tyrrell County. My article was titled “Epic Journey Leads Through Columbia — People on the Move… Walking!”

Scuppernong Gazette September 2014 https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/801908

During our conversation, I learned that Karl had no accommodations arranged for the night. Unless someone offered him shelter, he would simply pitch his tent somewhere along the way, as he had done countless times throughout his expedition.

Determined to extend a little Southern hospitality, I got in touch with Pastor Larry Chandler at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church on Main Street. The pastor kindly offered Karl a room at the church for the night and the welcome opportunity to take a shower. After so many miles on the road, I could only imagine how much that meant to him!

I also invited Karl to my little house at Legion Beach, where I prepared a homemade dinner. We spent the evening talking about his extraordinary adventures before he returned to the church to spend the night. Imagine the stories around that dinner table! Here was a man attempting to walk around the world, and somehow his journey had brought him to my doorstep.

Karl Bushby with Pastor Larry Chandler who died last year on July 31. 2025

Pastor Chandler’s hospitality didn't end there. He even arranged breakfast for Karl the following morning before he continued east toward Nags Head on the Outer Banks. Pushing “The Beast” along the highways and bridges of northeastern North Carolina, Karl crossed the Alligator River and the long bridges spanning the coastal sounds. Just imagine pushing that heavily loaded cart across those exposed crossings, with miles of open water stretching out on either side!

Twenty-Eight Years After Setting Out — A Hero Returns Home

Karl began his Goliath Expedition on November 1, 1998, in Punta Arenas, Chile. His goal was to make his way home to Hull, England, without using transportation to advance his journey.

When I met him in Columbia in 2014, he was already an internationally recognized adventurer. His expedition had attracted worldwide attention, corporate sponsors, television coverage, and a book deal. His supporters included outdoor footwear company Merrell. In 2015, National Geographic aired a two-hour documentary, The Walk Around the World, chronicling his extraordinary undertaking. More recently, filmmaker Werner Herzog became involved in a documentary about his journey.

Financial setbacks, difficult border crossings, political restrictions, and years of delays repeatedly threatened his mission. Yet Karl never abandoned his dream.

On November 2, 2026, exactly 28 years and one day after setting out, the former British paratrooper finally returned to his hometown of Hull, England. Having covered approximately 31,000 miles, he received a hero’s welcome before an emotional reunion with his mother, Angela, and his family.

And among the simple pleasures awaiting him? A proper plate of British fish and chips with mushy peas!

The news brought me back to that evening twelve years earlier. Even then, Karl’s determination had left a lasting impression on me. I remember the stories, the laughter, and the extraordinary circumstances that brought a world traveler to my little house along the Albemarle Sound.

Looking back, I feel privileged that Karl Bushby’s remarkable journey brought him through Columbia, North Carolina, and, for one unforgettable evening, to my dinner table.

Karl Bushby, I will never forget you.