What Planning ?

Well planning is simply getting off your dreamy backside and actually doing something about it. Now it doesn't have to be an elaborate Microsoft Project/Excel spreadsheet Gantt chart, though if you're that way inclined, go for it. It'll be a detailed fun thing you can look back on later and laugh about how you didn't even go close to following it. The simplest plan and the most effective that we found was simply setting some goals. Nothing too ambitious, just a few smaller chunks that are achievable within reasonable timelines. (you know the old adage; How to eat an elephant). To give you some idea here is ours:

better get a tow vehicle.

how big?
sedan, ute or wagon?
4 door or 2?
what size towing capacity?
what size motor (fuel ain't cheap anymore)?
bugger: planning is hard. might need a bit more info.

better get something to sleep in

motorhome, caravan, camping trailer or a tent?
maybe just travel and stay in motels etc?
how big, just the two of us, will family visit and stay a bit?
how heavy should it be (oh yea that's that thing about towing capacity)?
and what the hell is all those weight thing-a-me-jig acronyms about anyway (ATM, GVM, GTM, GCM, Tare weight, Tow Ball Weight)? Geez...

better figure out how much money will we need (Not another budget I hear. Been doing those all my working life both at work and home, and they never seem to align to actual spending)

better stop this whole planning thing, gives me a headache. Oh well back to dreaming. Then one day you wake up and realise you are a couple of months from retirement, and the other half just comes out and says, "I'm really looking forward to getting on the road when you retire. I've been planning this my whole life." Really, then where's that fucking plan. Geez, I'm really going to have to get off my backside and actually do something.

Think long and hard about what it might be like with your travelling companion if there is going to be one. Talk it over often and test scenarios. Try a few things first like;

By now you are probably thinking that this clown is no better than me in getting started. I've just wasted my time reading this. But don't give up on your dream, it's quite normal to go through the discovery process, have doubts, get confused, be self-denigrating. So here's a few hints on how to get started before you can answers all those previous questions

Go camping together for a few days (real camping; tent, sleeping bags, blow up mattress, bring your own firewood and axe). really tests the mettle of a relationship when you realise that hot showers are hard to come by if at all. You have to learn how to ration water, have your daily constitution over a pit in the ground, while the whole campground waits patiently and can hear every noise for miles, and the weather actually has a real impact on your enjoyment, cooking and eating with nature is an experience (and yes Kookaburras will steal your steak from the fire even when is roaring, clever little shits). If you can get through a camping stint together and come out laughing or actually enjoying the experience, then you have a real chance when you add a few luxuries with a caravan or motorhome.

Hire a caravan, motorhome, or camping trailer and try it out. Go somewhere you haven't been before, and to an environment that you haven't really experienced.
If you've come out those experiences and are still keen to get going and think you can enjoy each other's company while doing it, then read on otherwise don't waste your time, buy a seaside unit somewhere and enjoy your morning cappuccino's.

Do your research. There are plenty of wonderful websites, TV shows, videos, books and blogs on touring around Australia. Check the photos, try and ascertain which of other people's experiences appeal to you the most. It could be a wilderness without many people around, just nature. It might be the charm and history of all those small towns that exist outside the cities. How about cultural experiences and the differing lifestyles of the people that live and work throughout Australia. Explore the culture and lifestyles of our indigenous peoples. What about those views, and landscapes.
Talk to each other a lot about what you would like to do and where you want to go. Think this through thoroughly as it will drive your next set of goals. For example,

you want to go to the far reaches of this country, travel to remote locations, see the wilderness, get away from people. Then a motorhome is probably not for you. To get to those sorts of places will likely mean some dirt roads, even tracks that are no more than an ill-disguised animal path to a watering hole.
Do you want to get away from civilisation most of the time to national parks, state forests, beach side? (away from powered sites and the conveniences of infrastructure)
Maybe you just want to see all the small towns in Australia and have a drink at every country pub there is? (you should have started at a young age. You couldn't possibly cover every country pub in Australia in the rest of your life. Here's some interesting facts on pubs in Australia though. Stats and facts on Australian pubs (useless bits of info) | Publocation
Really think about the lifestyle you want and how you are going to go about it, because it will help you decide on vehicle and caravan choice.

So, you've got this far. You can still live together and enjoy your selected hardship. You know how you want to live, what you want to see, where you are likely going, and maybe even when. Great, it will probably change as soon as you get started, but at least you have some sort of plan to fall back on.

• Now go and do the fun bit, go looking and test-driving vehicles, go to camping and caravan shows, get a feel for what you are going to be comfortable with, how much it is really going to cost to get started and what sort of accessories you will want.

• Set a budget for your major purchases, vehicle, caravan and accessories.

• Do a travel budget. Yep, I know, what a anti-climax. still need to do a budget. The real reason at this stage is to check your plan. Can you realistically do what you want, particularly after going a little over budget on the vehicle and caravan. Don't say you won't, you will, and you'll also discover those little hidden surprise purchases you have to make that you didn't expect or was included in the deal you did. Like extra solar panels, maybe a washing machine, an outdoor mat for the annex. How about a couple of push bikes? Happy to help here with a spreadsheet for you to start with.

• Set yourself a target "GO" timeframe. When you are comfortable with your plan and have an idea of your budgets, get started on the purchases. Generally, this starts with a vehicle. You should now have an idea of what you are going to tow and where you are going to go. This dictates the vehicle's size, towing capacity and type. When buying the vehicle think about where you are going. Things like parts, reliability and fuel economy play a major factor in this decision.

1. As an aside, when we started the vehicle purchase, (out target was a budget around $55k, 4x4 ute 4 door) I stumbled upon a well-priced, low kilometer, recent model of a luxury model (brand shall remain nameless). The test drive was a joy as the vehicle was very comfortable, a pleasure to drive and had the latest technology extras. I was tempted to buy it then and there. It did lack some accessories I needed though, bull-bar, roof-rack and some handy others. So fortunately decided to do a little more research about this particular brand and model, only to discover that it was only manufactured for a short period of time, parts where difficult to get in the city let alone in the country, and nobody made accessories for it. Dodged a bullet there. And probably some reputation. I was imagining, in outback Qld needing a part and some old country codger looking me up and down, taking in the vehicle, saying something like "Don't see many of those, didn't know they made em. Looks nice though" then telling me a fan belt should set me back a few thousand and take 4 weeks to get here.

• At this stage, your planning is starting to pay off. Getting closer to that "GO" date and it's now time to buy your sleeper vehicle. This should be fun right. You and your travelling companion wistfully finding a weekend to wander down to the van shop, hand over your hard-earned cash hook up and drive off. BaaaHaaa Baaahaaa. Good luck with that, but at least you are on your way to an ever-changing fulfilling lifestyle that is exploring this great country we live in.