4 things to consider before you set out on your grey nomad journey

Preparing for and setting out on a grey nomad adventure can be so exciting, but it shouldn’t be done without a lot of prior planning.

If you’re starting to get your bucket list destinations together and are assessing your finances and so forth, don’t forget to consider these four essentials before you leave!

1. Health checks

Even if you’re feeling great right now, things can change, and you truly never know what could happen on the road. Even though your stresses may falls away once you hit the road, you should still make sure you’re in tip top shape to be away from consistent medical care.

Consider:

• A full check up with your doctor and assessment of any medications. Ask for advance prescriptions if possible, or organise to have script faxed to a destination
• Getting your eyes checked. Your glasses might feel like they’re doing their job but your macular is extremely important and all over 60s should have it checked at least once a year.
• A full examination and clean of your teeth. There’d be nothing worse than being on the road and having to stop for expensive dental work. Get it sorted before you leave to save yourself a headache (or toothache!) later.
• Purchasing a fully equipped first aid kit. You’ll be able to find one easily but don’t skimp on the important things you may need such as dressing and bandages.
• Getting ambulance cover. Check your health insurance policy or travel insurance to make sure an ambulance is included in the price.

2. Bills and letters

It’d be nice to just never have to deal with bills and letters of demand but even when you’re on the road, they will still come, and you will still need to pay them.

Consider:

• Changing your address to a trusted relative if you will be packing up the house and selling up
• Giving a trusted friend or relative access to your mailbox to collect mail if you’re not moving
• Organising a re-direct on your mail to a professional mail forwarding agency. They can send the letters to any post office near to where you are in Australia.
• Buying a diary that you can write down the due dates for all of your bills. Be sure to include your vehicle registration and licence renewal dates in there as well.
• Organising direct debits from your accounts – it will make life so much easier on the road. You won’t have to think about the bills your organised to be direct debited as the money will simply be withdrawn from the account on the date specified.
• Set up internet banking if you haven’t already done so. Let’s face it: everything’s going online, and that includes your bank. You can transfer money, pay bills and look through transactions all in one place, via your smart device or computer – how handy is that?

3. Self storage

If you’re selling up your house or moving out of a rental or your own place, then you might be wondering what to do with your stuff. No doubt as a 60-year-old, you’ll have quite a lot of things that could fill a house and more!

Consider:

• Self storage. Many companies have lockable sheds or rooms at a nominal fee that will house your belongings for a flexible period. Self storage has the advantage of being safe and secure, and you can even have insurance for your possessions in case of fire or, very unlikely, theft.
• Looking for a self storage facility with good reviews and pest control.
• A mobile “box” instead. If you’re not sure how much room you’ll need or you only have a small amount of things you want to store, then the newer concept of mobile self storage might be what you’re looking for. Companies like TaxiBox, ContainAway and SmartBox will deliver a box to your house, whcih you can fill up and then they will take it away to their facility. “Boxes” are 2.4m deep x 1.5m wide x 2.2m high, while standard storage units may range in size from 1×1 metre lockers to 6×9 metre sheds

4. Weather

Last but not least: weather. Before any nomad sets off on their first (or maybe second or third) trip, they need to consider what the weather will be like on the road. Here’s some tips if you’re heading off around Australia:

North Queensland – typically the wet season is from October til May, and the dry season is from June to September

Central Queensland and NT – the hot season is from November til March, and is really hot; about 45 degrees. The cool(er) season is between April and October.

South Queensland, NSW, VIC and Tasmania – summer season from November til March and winter season April til September.

Western Australia (Perth region) – the hot season is from September to May and the cold is from June to August (though not that cold!)

North West and Broome WA – the dry season is April to September, and the green season is from October to March.

Are you planning a grey nomad journey soon? Where will you be going? Tell us below.