Hi everyone
This is my first post as a new member.I am not a nomad yet and am wondering if I should be.Having just retired my wife and I are wondering if this is the life for us.We have never been camping or used a van.Although we have travelled a fair way round Oz (apart from darwin and perth) we are wondering how many other people have been in this predicament.I like driving unlike the wife,I can rough it unlike the wife,been pretty spoilt realy taking hols OS.However all good things come to an end and dont think we will be able to afford those trips much longer.
Cost wise,I have done a rough estimation and cant realy see justification in all the setups and time with hitching up a 4x4 and van,with the cost of petrol,parks etc .
I realise going to Surfers(not) etc would only be for a week while the nomads could probably last a month for the same price.Does anyone have any opinions on this topic ( OW ).

It's not about cost, it's about lifestyle. Even then, every grey nomad has a different view about 'how to do it', so it is difficult (impossible) to advise you about 'right or wrong'. If some aspect of a nomadic lifestyle appeals, then you need to decide on the details which mght be biased by the $$$s you have available. There are lots of people out there 'living the dream' an a basic pension. There are others with motorhomes that cost over $1,000,000. In many cases, they both think they have the formulae 'right'. Your task is to decide how you want to live your life. Answer that before worrying about how to achieve it.

Ok Ok I asked for that one.
I must say the idea of life on the open road appeals to me but like many others who have to take the first step the idea of such an immediate change sounds pretty daunting.I do like the idea of early retirement though and being able to have an active remainder of life before who knows.Meanwhile my wife who went back into the workforce several years ago still thinks she will miss the life even though she dosnt entirely relish the thought?.Perhaps the devil you know!.
Anyhow thats something we need to compromise on( ie whatever she decides).
As a start I bought a couple of magz the other day on 2007 vans of the year,so might start the ball rolling.Most of what I have seen seems to boil down to $$$,but does anyone know of what to avoid like the plague eg like buying a Datsun 120y or Leyland P76 for towing.And one big question probably mainly for the ladies -toilets and showers in vans are they realy necessary seems to me they take up a lot of space and (yuck) maintenance.(I know this first hand as I had to live in an on-site van in my early youth with mum and two brothers after my dad passed away) Things will have changed by now,but telling my wife of past experience  sends shivers down her spine ha ha.

If you (both) are not sure if the life is for you (both), then don't look at the 2007 vans of the year, look at the 'Datson 120Y's of the caravan (or motorhome) world. You don't need to send big bucks to try things out. It is unlikely that your first attempt will be perfect for the next 20 years anyhow! Buy something conservative and try. Then sell it and try something better (for you). Or hire a few different things (off season) and get to know what suits. Just a small warning. There is a difference (for us) between something for a holiday (even a fairly long one) and something that you live in. That is where the value (or otherwise) of showers and toilets will become apparent. It also depends on if you intend to wander from caravan park to caravan park or to 'bush camp'. We almost NEVER use caravan parks (we hate that scene), so we need to be self sufficient (and save $20 a day!).

Hi I started of in an older coaster and paid 6,000 for it spent another 4.000, and travelled for 12 months, soon relised that the males idea of no shower and toilet isnt a good one and especially for the ladies, We updated to a coaster again spending $30.000 this time with a shower and toilet and travelled in it on trips for 3.5years getting to know what we wanted, the trip of 6 months from brisbane to darwin - perth - adelaide -brisbane over 6 months showed us that we needed or wanted a bigger vehicle, this was magnified when we went north for 3 months and had a lot of rain and I stated i wasnt travelling unless i had more space, on our travels we have seen couples living in a pop top wiz bang which would be us and as the other writers mentioned its an individual preferance,we have now updated to a 11.5 mtre motorhome featured in the site, dun'n'dusted and are quite comfortable mind you the fuel costs have risen 4 km per ltre, but we are in luxury, and I might add that in our travels a couple in a new 4 wheel drive towing a jayco tandem axle caravan get around the same, there are advantages with a caravan and also a motorhome and disadvantages with each mode of travel, I might add that in the coaster we spent $80 in 6 months travel around austarlia on accomodation and you have to eat no matter were you are, we used the free stop all the time as we were set up with solar power generater shower and tiolet.We are still working and are looking in the near future to travel and work if we wanted to so Carol says we are Grey Nomads in waiting ha ha , but either way of travel join a caravan or motorhome club and get all the info you can gather. cheers Max and Carol