Three months into his 2200km walk from Bluff to Cape Reinga, former Army veteran Shane Anderson arrived in the pouring rain at the Whakatāne RSA this week.

Anderson, who hails from Ōtaki, says his real journey began when he left the Army in 2012 after seven years of service and headed to Australia in search of a new life.

Anderson and his dog, Missy, began their walk in Bluff on March 1 this year, promoting mental health and wellbeing while taking in the sights of the Deep South and embracing the solitude that comes with the adventure of a man and his dog.

“Just before I was about to start, my aunt put me onto a guy at Bluff Freedom Farm named Jasper, who had recently started as the cook at the Bluff RSA. So, I headed down to say hello. He opened a cabin for me, which I am extremely grateful for. I’m still carrying one of their coasters and plan to deliver it to the northernmost RSA when I get there.

“The president of the Bluff RSA, Pete Robinson, has been my number one supporter since I decided to do this walk. He helped me a lot when I was lacking inspiration, and I hadn’t even made it to the start line,” said Anderson.

Giving himself only two weeks to prepare and not even owning a hiking pack, Anderson quickly discovered he was over-equipped in some areas and underprepared in others.

“I started this for my own sanity, really. I had to get out of Auckland.

“After I left the Army, I went to Australia and worked in concrete construction on large marina projects. I was eventually deported back to New Zealand as a 501 and had to completely reset my life. I started my own company in Auckland, but after a while I realised, I probably should have just found a job working for someone else.

“I was successful by every measure except my headspace, so I knew I had to make a change. I slowly wound the business down so my boys could move on and do their own thing.”

He credits his younger sister with giving him the push he needed.

“It was my younger sister who kept telling me I had to do something for myself. After she nudged me about four times, I knew I had to find a way to get my head right.”

While the walk has provided long periods of solitude, it has also produced countless unexpected reunions.

“Sometimes I get bored of walking, then someone I know suddenly turns up. I even had an old Navy mate offer me a ride because the weather was so bad, but I had to turn him down.”

Not every day has been easy, particuarly for his dog, Missy, who has sore paws.

“On Broadlands Road, just out of Taupō, the weather was howling. I retreated into the treeline and used fallen trees to make a windbreak. I put my hoochie over the tent as an extra fly and sat there cleaning Missy’s feet. I just wanted to get her to a vet. Then an old mate found me and gave us somewhere warm to stay with a hot meal.”

As Anderson has travelled further north, the conversations have become increasingly meaningful.“The further north I get, the more interaction I have with the public. So many people I’ve served with have caught up with me on the road or rung me to talk about their own struggles and experiences.

“Some of the most powerful conversations have been with the children of Vietnam veterans who are trying to understand what their parents went through. Many of those veterans never spoke about their experiences, so now it’s their children looking for answers. There’s a lot of information out there, but it’s fragmented and disconnected.”

One particularly emotional stop was in Kawerau, where Anderson paid tribute to his friend, Luke Tamatea, who was killed while serving in Afghanistan.

“Someone following my journey let Luke’s parents know I was in town, and they found me walking through the streets. They put me up for a couple of nights. It was a special place to be. When I left, they walked with me for a while. It was a very special time for me.”

After just over four months on the road, Anderson arrived in Whakatāne. Having heard plenty of positive things about the Whakatāne RSA, he decided it was a stop he wanted to make.

There he caught up with RSA members, including President Victor Hape, sharing stories from his journey and reflecting on how far he has come.

“I am a different person from when I started this trip. Spending so much time walking has given me plenty of time to think.

“We have to take ownership of ourselves before we can do that for others. We have to look after our own mental health because no one is coming to fix it for us – we all know that. It starts with ourselves, and if we can get that right, it flows through to the people around us and then into the wider community.”

After spending the night as Hape’s guest, Anderson’s next stop is Matatā before continuing north toward Cape Reinga.

He hopes to complete the journey on August 30. With around 1000km still ahead of him, he says there is plenty of time for conversations along the way.

“If anyone wants to call me for a chat, I’m more than happy to listen. Just pick up the phone and give me a call.”

As for Missy, she is resting and recovering from sore feet, with Anderson hoping she will be back by his side within the week.

People can follow Shane on his adventure on his Facebook page.