Brando Yelavich - Wildboy: To the Edge and Back: More Adventures Through Rugged, Remote New Zealand

My name is Brando Yelavich, and you may have heard of me. Or maybe not. Sometimes I go by the name of Wildboy. Im that crazy kid who decided the best way to sort out his life was by walking around New Zealand. Alone. See what I mean by crazy?

I WAS BROUGHT UP on Aucklands North Shore. I really struggled with school, and being diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia didnt help. Conventional schooling was a huge challenge for me, then my dream of one day joining the army was destroyed due to my learning difficulties. By the time I was in my late teens I was on a roller-coaster ride that was going nowhere good fast. I felt lost and angry. My relationships with my family, friends and community were at breaking point. I couldnt see any sort of future for myself, so I escaped into drinking and drugs.

It wasnt quite this simple, but basically one day I woke up and decided that I was going to walk around the coast of New Zealand. Having ADHD means that once I set my mind on something, theres no getting away from it. I was completely unprepared for a challenge like this: I had no money, virtually no gear and I figured it would take me about six months. No one believed I could do it and, to be honest, Im not sure I really thought I could either. None of that stopped me from setting off from Cape Reinga on 1 February 2013 with a 50-kilogram pack on my back and not much idea about what lay ahead. I was 19 years old and I had nothing better to do than walk so walk I did.

Over the next 600 days see, I underestimated the time a little bit I met the most amazing people, got chased by a few wild dogs, ate a lot of delicious food (and some not-that-delicious food), paddled around the Marlborough Sounds, rafted down rivers, and walked over 8000 kilometres around the coast of this country to land me back where I had started at Cape Reinga on 23 August 2014.

The journey changed me. I overcame near-death situations, incredible loneliness and enormous physical and logistical obstacles. My emotions ran wild, but I had forged a new future for myself. I came back with a completely altered view of the world and my place in it. My relationship with my family had mended and I had met my own Wildgirl, Ngaio, while I was walking around the Coromandel coast. I could finally see a future for myself where before I had none.

HOWEVER, AFTER FINISHING THE round New Zealand trip, it took a lot for me to adjust back to real life. I was so used to just getting up and walking every day that I didnt really know how to do anything else. I went back to Auckland and lived with my family while I tried to work out what I was going to do next.

After a few months of going to the Coromandel to see Ngaio whenever I could, I moved down there to be with her that summer. Things went well for a while. I got my truck licence and worked for Ngaios dad doing deliveries for his plant nursery. I loved it because every day was different a bit like being out walking.