Karl Bushby is to be kicked out of Russia after entering the country illegally. This follows a seven and a half year walk through the Americas as part of his attempt to walk around the world.
A British explorer who has spent the last seven-and-a-half years on a quest to walk around the world is to be expelled from Russia.
Ex-paratrooper Karl Bushby, 36, from Hull, was fined by a Russian court for entering the country without paperwork.
His father was not happy with the news:
His father Keith said the court had “knocked his legs away from under him”.
He said his son was bitterly disappointed by the court’s decision.
He said entering Russia at an unauthorised point had been the explorers’ only option given their route.
Listening to Karl whine on the BBC lunchtime news one would almost be inclined to blame the bureaucratic Russian immigration services for his plight. Well, you might, my stony heart wasn’t moved one iota.
He [Mr Bushby senior] said the pair had tried to speak to the relevant authorities to no avail ahead of the “window” to cross the frozen strait.
He had been walking for seven and a half years (not to mention time spent pre-planning) during which, one would assume, he had time to nip into the Russian embassy and get his papers in order – or at the very least, allow for this contingency. Even Russian bureaucracy can’t be that bad…:dry:
Longrider,
Amen to that 100%.
There was no reason why Bushby couldn’t have made some effort to respect Russian law. I tend to become a little peeved at Russian nationals breaking our entry and immigration laws – why shouldn’t the Russians be peeved when we do it to them?
There is a wild card in this case that the BBC hasn’t mentioned. Bushby has lodged an appeal against the decision of the courts in Chukotka; and the governor of Chukotka province happens to be one Roman Abramovich. We shall see if his name crops up at any point…