A man embarking on a journey through the UK solely by local buses to fundraise for charity shares that “everyone I’ve encountered has been incredibly supportive.”
James White, 42, based in Richmond, south-west London, anticipates that his extensive 49-bus expedition will total less than £250, largely thanks to England’s £3 fare cap.
All funds collected will benefit the suicide prevention nonprofit, Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm).
He remarked: “Initially, I don’t think people took me too seriously; it’s quite an unusual endeavor, isn’t it? I have no real interest in buses.”
Additionally, he noted: “The first leg [from Land’s End to Penzance] featured breathtaking views. It’s a unique way to explore areas of the UK that I wouldn’t normally see.”
“It’s ultimately pointless. It raises the question: is it without purpose or just unnecessary?”
The idea for his mission came from a visit to Cornwall, where the chartered engineer noticed a bus stop at Land’s End and began to wonder if a corresponding stop existed at the opposite end of the country.
After conducting research and creating a detailed spreadsheet, his sister spent an hour and a half teaching him how to navigate Instagram, and he has since been sharing updates following his departure on a sleeper train from Paddington to Penzance on Tuesday evening.
His adventure began last Wednesday morning with the number 1 bus and will culminate with the number 80 bus on Wednesday afternoon, encompassing various bus companies and counties across England.
He will journey through Cannock, traverse Wolverhampton, and explore Truro and Taunton, having already moved past Liskeard and Launceston.
Every night, he checks into a hotel, though he stayed with his parents in Middleton on Saturday night.
After boarding the 40th bus that began in England—from Berwick-upon-Tweed on Monday at 08:20—he will ride nine buses in Scotland, including trips to Edinburgh, Arbroath, and Aberdeen.
When asked about the oddest occurrence thus far, he replied, “A man tried to sell me a pigeon in Bodmin.”
“Lovely little town. He had a flock of pigeons that flew into his flat as he left the window open, and he was offering them for sale, which is quite strange.”
For the most part, Mr. White has kept his journey to himself, but he had an engaging chat with a “larger-than-life” bus driver in Okehampton, Devon.
He added: “Living in London, if you even glance at someone on the Tube, you’re considered a total oddball, so I’m not accustomed to interacting with anyone on the bus.”
“To most bus drivers, I probably just appear as a guy wandering around with a backpack.”
