Preparing for life on the road

to stay in, so that you are never left without a place to sleep. Knowing how much each of these places will cost to stay in will help with budgeting as well.

Ask other grey nomads about their experiences along the way and what they recommend to visit or avoid.

If you are going to stay with friends or family at any point along the way, give them plenty of notice of when you will be arriving.

Budgets and bills

Many people have different ways of travelling and travel for different lengths of time - from taking short trips nearby or taking off in a caravan for six months of the year and seeking warmer weather, to selling up everything and going offroad in a decked out van.

No matter the type of retired traveller you want to be, there will be some planning involved.

You need to consider how to finance your extended trip and make sure you are not worried or stressed while you’re on holiday.

The first step in planning is to figure out how you want to travel and for how long, so imagine your ideal trip and how you will reach that point.

Make sure to take into consideration all of the variables, for example, the health needs of your partner or yourself, what caravan or motorhome you intend to purchase, and talk to family and friends about how this trip will work.

Location, location, location

Do you know where you are travelling to? Is it easy to get to? How long does it take to drive between towns?

When deciding where to travel, make a list of places you want to visit.

The list can include anything from the Kimberley in Western Australia to Millaa Millaa Falls in Queensland, or you could take the ferry over to Tasmania with your caravan.

If you have a number of iconic spots you want to visit, you should try to map out the best way to reach all of your dream destinations without making the travel route too difficult. Or, you might need to plan a trip for this year that covers a selection of destinations and a trip for next year that covers others.

You should also be aware of the caravan spots, camps, National Parks or roadside stops you intend

The last thing you want to experience is concern about whether you have enough money or not on your trip of a lifetime, so this is why it’s important to budget.

Think about how long you want to travel for and the general cost of the grey nomad lifestyle you have chosen to get an idea of how much your trip is going to cost.

You can budget for constants such as food, fuel and the cost of caravan sites, but there will also be some unexpected costs that it is good to set aside extra funds for. These unexpected bills could be anything from an experience, like a fishing charter or paying for a wildlife encounter, to a vehicle breakdown or a cracked windscreen.

Tracking your spending while you’re away doesn’t have to be a stressful or onerous task if you have set the right budget before you leave.

It’s also important to remember that even though you are away, your regular bills don’t just stop.

If you still own your home, you will have taxes and council fees to pay, and if you use mobile devices, you will still have phone bills to settle. Additionally, travelling around in a caravan means that you will need insurance and registration for your car and caravan, and will need an up-to-date driving licence.

To stay on top of these ongoing bills, move as many of your payments online as possible and download the mobile phone apps that can be used to manage payments. Forward any other mail you still have to a family member or close friend so you don’t miss anything.

Your home

Whether or not you will sell your home before going on your once in a lifetime trip is a big decision.

Since your home and possessions are your biggest asset, you need to take every precaution before travelling.

If you intend to keep your home, you will need to figure out if you will get a house sitter for that period or have family, friends and neighbours keep an eye on the property.

Some people choose to rent out their home while they are away, leaving their furniture and other big items that don’t fit in the caravan at home with the tenants. This option will mean you have a steady income stream from the rent, if you own your home, or perhaps will allow you to keep paying off the remainder of your mortgage.

When you eventually end your trip you will have a base to come home to, however renting does mean you are relying on the tenants to look after your home while you are away and there will be utility bills and possible maintenance to arrange.

If you intend to sell your home, where are you going to store your belongings? Some people may borrow sheds or spare rooms from their relatives, but it would still require you to downsize your assets. You may decide to hire a storage unit to store your possessions.

Some grey nomads choose to sell everything and limit their possessions to what can fit in their mobile home.

This option will give you a large sum of money to live on during retirement, and may mean you have less to worry about while on the road, but it also means you will need to find a new house when you decide to settle down and stop travelling.

Before you leave

So, your big trip is approaching and you have all your planning in order, what else do you need to think about?

Well, it is important to have all your medical and dental checks before you go so that you know you are fit and healthy for travelling.

Have an assessment of your general health, and if you have current illnesses, have all your relevant documents ready and put aside in case you have an emergency or need to visit another doctor while on the road.

Ensure you have your prescriptions ready to go and have scripts for medications with you in case you’re running low. Also, keep all your medication safely stored in cool areas, especially if you are heading to areas in Australia that are incredibly hot.

Your caravan or vehicle should be stocked with an up-to-date first aid kit, available at most pharmacies.

If you use any medical equipment or assistive technology, such as a blood glucose monitoring system for diabetes or a hearing aid, make sure you have plenty of back up batteries and any relevant chargers.

Make sure your car and caravan have been checked prior to leaving, so you don’t have any unexpected vehicle issues while on the road. As you leave the driveway, check that the brake and indicator lights are working and properly connected for safety.

Also, leave a contact number with loved ones so they know where to reach you in case of an emergency. It can be a good idea to not only have your insurance details stored safely, but to also leave a copy with your loved ones just in case.

Weather considerations

Australian weather conditions can be challenging for anyone, including older people.

Your body may not be able to cool itself down naturally or keep the heat in when it is cold, you may be more susceptible to dehydration, and you could have a medical condition that flares up in the hot or cold weather.

That could all be worsened if your car breaks down on the side of the road, flooding washes out a road you were going to travel on, or you are caught out in the sun and experience some severe sunburn.

But with the right preparation for a range of weather conditions, you can be ready for any extreme weather events you experience while on the road and stay safe for your whole journey.

Pack plenty of water in your vehicle, including in storage tanks in your caravan and easy-to-access places in your car.

Take a variety of clothing and bedding with you, from protective but lightwieght and loose shirts and trousers for wearing in the hot sun to heavy jackets and a spare blanket for keeping warm when the cold fronts blow over. to read more about safe summer travel

There was a time when you could not easily communicate with family and friends while travelling, but mobile phones have well and truly changed that.

There is no reason to not keep everyone up to date with your adventures.

More importantly, open communication means if anything goes wrong due to the weather, a natural disaster or an emergency, you have loved ones who can quickly raise an alarm if you miss an expected arrival date or don’t check-in to your next location.

If you change your travel plans to avoid flooded areas or to stay in a bushfire-safe town on a day with a higher bushfire risk, make sure to update your loved ones on where you are going and why.