Hi Everyone,
Well, I can see from my search results that I am not the first person to be coming along here to ask some questions in regards to 'overlanding' - and - I have read quite a few of the other posts already, so maybe for some this is a repetition of previously asked questions with existing answers to match. To some degree, what comes next, might be something that you've read and answered before, however I also hope that there's more.
Here we go.
:: The Idea ::
The idea is to travel from Amsterdam, The Netherlands to Cape Town and then to Durban in South Africa. Coming along for the ride will be my girlfriend and our cat and dog. The means of transport will need to be a car / truck that can do the job from beginning to end. A Land Rover or something similar should in my mind meet the transportation requirements.
:: The Way ::
I've read about the different routes described, with some of the anomalies / pitfalls that one can face along the way. I am going to make the guess, that selecting a route would be the first step towards defining a 'way' or 'route'. For now though, I'd like to focus on a few other issues, such as:
? Logistics Planning
? Budgeting
I'd expect that the route would determine the precise details of 'Logistics' and 'Budgeting' - so what I am aiming to find information on now is/are the generalities.
So let's break it down! 
:: Logistics Planning ::
Basically; what is it that we're going to need to think about taking along and where should we get it? How much pre-planning do we need to do in regards to taking supplies and equipment and how much can we pick up along the way? Basic questions to the seasoned traveller I am sure, however we're not quite at that level yet. This is a first attempt, so please be gentle, kind and if you can, patient. 
:: Budgeting ::
Without any real inkling as to the financial costs of the whole trip and assuming that we're starting from a base level of an idea, we need to calculate what the whole adventure may cost. Right now, on a very rough calculation it seems that we will need something in the vacinity of EURO 35,000 / 25,000 GBP with a rough breakdown as follows.
: Transportation : EUR 15,000 / GBP 11,000
[Excluding petrol]
: Reserve : EUR 5,000 / GBP 3,500
[Maintenance / Repair]
: Petrol : EUR ??? / GBP ???
: Equipment : EUR 5,000 / GBP 3,500
We'd like to be as smart as possible with what we need to invest, however have not the slightest idea as to how and what to really budget for. Please excuse the very basic attempt at coming up with this budget. I'm a newbie at this sort of planning.
:: What next ? ::
Right now there are more questions and ignorance than answers, and this should not be difficult to glean from this posting. There is just an idea and some excitement, coupled with the hope that over the time to come it will be possible to work out how the best way forward is and what we need to do. If you'd be so kind as to share you experiences and wisdom, then we'll be surely grateful.
Many Thanks in advance!
Lyndon