The actual planning of how and what

Hi Bruce and Mary
When we were away for four and five months, we were lucky to have our daughter stay at home, so she looked after the house, ran the farm, and handled all mail. Anything important was scanned and emailed. If I needed to reply, I wrote the letter and emails it to her for her to print and sign on my behalf. She sent a list of bills each month which I paid by electronic banking.

Do you have a trusted friend or relative who could check on your house, perhaps stay a weekend every now and then to cover insurance policy requirements, and who could screen your mail?

Where possible, we had elected to receive electronic documents.

We missed on election, and when I found out about it, I phoned the electoral commission in Perth and they recorded we were unable to vote.

For a few other things that may or may not be relevant to you, I will sent a MM.

We have set up our bills to be delivered electronically. Regular bills such as registrations and insurances are paid by direct debit so if out in the 'wilds' they are paid automatically with no further action required by us.

Put every regular bill that you can onto direct debit.
If you are on any prescription drugs, get your doctor to write a Reg 24 script. You can then get this filled with a 6 month supply and don't have to worry about finding pharmacies in remote areas.

Bruce and Mary

We did the same, pulled out of the driveway and turned left then turned right when we hit water. No set itinerary just an adventure. We did plan for a while before going and our list included:

House - left keys with a trusted neighbour - they came through weekly to check. Water, gas and electricial items turned off (we have timers on external lights so it looks like some one is home all the time). Left money with neighbour to pay gardener to mow the lawn once a month while we were away. Plants all on timer reticulation.

Security - Security Company contacts updated to have neighbour listed as key holders and access point if alarm went off.

Insurance - don't tell your insurer the house will be VACANT! Tell them someone will be staying regularly at the property (at least 3-4 nights a week).

Bills - All our bills are direct debit so not much mail. My brother collected any mail and made the decision to open and pay (we then reimbursed) open and scan (and send to us) or send to our next known location ( although that only happened for a couple of items - invitations to weddings).

Membership details - create a list of membership details you may need when away RAC, radio networks, clubs and associations you belong to.

Banking - setup Internet or telephone banking before you go.

Medication - doctor wrote normal scripts for my regular medication. These where accepted in all states and we didn't need to carry large supplies. If you have a strange or difficult to source medication consider taking bulk supply, otherwise it gets in the way if you take a few.

Meals - we ate the same sort of food as if we were at home. Just based on what kitchen facilities you have. We did make use of camp kitchens to do big cookies and freeze meals for remote sections.

Contacts - we gave friends and family a printed list of emails, phone numbers, satellite numbers EOTrackme passwords etc so they could follow us and contact us if they needed to. We also researched emergency numbers for areas we were travelling (as we went) and wrote them in a note book in the cab of the car.

Internet - an iPad or laptop with Internet so you can pre ok at your leisure (without relying on accessing tourist bureaus computers.

I know this is a big list, but there is sure to be stuff I have left off. Others will hopefully list them.

We basically shut our house down, didn't worry about sitters ( I'd hate to think they were going through my stuff!). We didnt worry about cleaners - we did a good clean before we left and it was just light dusting and new sheets etc when we got home. The savings on power, gas and water we used to have tours etc. Fuel costs for used wife's car went into the trip. Food costs were the same as if at home.

All up, we came home having spent an extra $20 000 for 8 months on the road. This was $5000 for each of us, we didn't go without. This was for tours, plane/helicopter tours, theatre shows, theme parks, 2 footy games, 3 (yes 3 only) takeaway meals, restraunt meals etc for 2 adults and 2 children (although they ate like adults).

Hope you enjoy it!

Cheers

Anthony

Previous comment about prescriptions as long as they written up by a medical practitioner they valid Australia wide and for 12 month period, pharmacists MAY supply alternative generic for stockign purposes unless its been tiocked generic not permitted

able to have one script then 5 repeats. For a young person (read mid 40's) I'm on a plethora of eye drops and now BP tabs -just wish they would use a proper sized cuff one me but that another issue of knowledge and competency in medical profession

2014 I had a 3 month hiatus took prescriptions with me and used them along way right up to Kununurra, by time i got back to broome prescription i had ran out by literally 5 days so a few quick phone call with message left with ophthalmologist and they had it faxed across to pharmacist in Broome overnight.-yes faxes still have use in medical industry !

Last extended trip munching on the Bp tabs ran short by 1 week went to local GP in Carnarvon showed them bottle said need a new one -yep no problems this would appear to be a common thing for travelers grey nomads needing more scripts so unless really remote it shouldn't be a major concern -even halls creek a shoe box pharmacist had what I was after as a over counter antihistamine

Not that complex really. We just pick a direction and made decisions on the fly - found it too difficult to make complex plans and stick to a timetable. Better to decide when in the field so to speak.
As for the house, we locked it up and got neighbours/in laws to look in on it sometimes.
You don't need to pack any different than if you were only going away for a week- basic clothing and top those up as you go(we use op shops often).
Good insurances are a must. We had SGIO for car and van and actually used it for the van when had a major mishap.
They paid promptly thousands in towing and repairs and accommodation, all without a quibble.

I love talking about this stuff. Next March we will be renting out the house and disappearing for 1-2 years. Wife will be working casually as a nurse and ill do whatever. In my heart, I don't care if we never come back. The mortgage is paid and I just wanna live life seeing the country and its many people and history.
It will be the third time in ten years that I have quit my job, and thrown my fate to the breeze. It's exhilarating and you really know you're alive!
I never regretted doing it, even though it has a slight downside of uncertainty.
But the upside outweighs the down!
To do all this, we have absolutely worked our arses off for years a at a time. Some days you think its not worth it. In the end, it is. It builds you up and makes you tougher and smarter.