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He set out to walk around the world. After 27 years, his quest is nearly over

(www.washingtonpost.com)
195 points wallflower | 2 comments | 07 Dec 25 16:26 UTC | HN request time: 0.571s | source
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bolasanibk ◴[12 Dec 25 06:12 UTC] No.46241342[source]▶
It was not one continuous hike. He takes frequent breaks. But travels back to where he last stopped and continues.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Bushby

Still very impressive, but a little less impressive than I first thought.

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hn_throwaway_99 ◴[12 Dec 25 06:48 UTC] No.46241503[source]▶
It would be impossible to do without taking breaks, as explained in the article:

> Due to visa limits, Bushby has had to break up his walk. In Europe, he can stay for only 90 days before leaving for 90, so he flies to Mexico to rest and then returns to resume the route.

Given that he literally swam across the Caspian Sea in order to avoid Russia and Iran because of legal issues, nevermind bring imprisoned in Russia due to what sounded like bureaucratic BS, it's more impressive than I first thought.

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reisse ◴[12 Dec 25 10:19 UTC] No.46242678[source]▶
From Wiki:

> They were detained by Russian border troop officers while they were crossing the Russian border near the Chukotkan village of Uelen, for not entering Russia at a correct port of entry.

Illegal border crossing is absolutely not bureaucratic BS in any country.

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pksebben ◴[12 Dec 25 12:51 UTC] No.46243657[source]▶
This might be a little broad for most, but I find the whole concept of nationalism and border sovereignty kinda tired. Who cares? We were nomads before we settled in cities, and it's only the designs of the empowered few that ever made the idea compulsory.

I'm saying this as someone who enlisted in the defense of said nations once. Most of the structures that make up a country these days are for the birds - let a guy hike for chrissake. I also lived where I could see Tijuana from my back yard and all the pearl clutching and self-fanning over "illegal immigrants" is a giant crock of blustery nonsense. We have bigger problems than normal folks just trying to live their lives.

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godsinhisheaven ◴[12 Dec 25 13:15 UTC] No.46243821[source]▶
The whole concept of nationalism and border sovereignty has been with us for essentially all of human history, and I don't see it petering out anytime soon. Plenty of people care, for all sorts of reasons, many of which I would say, are good!
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tomrod ◴[12 Dec 25 15:21 UTC] No.46244947[source]▶
What, your ancestors between 600k years ago up to 150 years ago are a joke to you? Human history began with European Great Powers?

Göbekli tepe easily refutes your isolationism, as does stone- and bronze-age globalism.

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1. crazygringo ◴[12 Dec 25 15:50 UTC] No.46245256[source]▶
Not really. Tribes generally lived in specific areas, and would go to war with other tribes if those tribes tried to expand into their turf. Or would go to war to expand their turf. That's basically the early version of nationalism and borders, with the tribe as the nation, and neighboring tribes understanding which area was whose. Even nomadic tribes would be nomadic within a certain area, and jealously protect the area they would go to at the start of every spring, for example.

Even modern primates establish territories for their groups, and warn off and fight other primates attempting to encroach. So this general behavior is quite natural. The concept of open borders where anyone can just waltz in and live somewhere where they're not from or didn't marry into and haven't been invited -- that's actually the relatively newer idea, historically speaking.

I'm not arguing for more closed borders today, but I don't think we're should pretend that the historical human condition has somehow been "open".

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2. nullstyle ◴[12 Dec 25 16:25 UTC] No.46245647[source]▶
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dawn_of_Everything Disagrees with you, and has several examples of tribal fluidity and more freedom of movement than you imply here.