Travel systems developed over 2+ years backpacking across Asia and Australia. A practical reference for travelling longer, cheaper, and with less friction.

Shared often with friends and family — now organised in one place.

Study abroad in low-cost regions to subsidise long-term travel.

Choose neobanks; never pay percentage FX or transaction fees.

Stack accommodation discounts via cashback portals and loyalty programs.

Carry-on only whenever possible, travel lean.

Plan deeply, commit lightly; flexibility compounds.

Disclaimer: Australian banking, Centrelink, and university exchange policies are subject to change. Always confirm current details. Updated Feb ’26.

Banking

Choose neobanks that pass on Mastercard and Visa wholesale rates with no markups. Never pay percentage-based fees to move or spend your own money.

International transaction fees, hidden FX markups, and poor exchange rates quietly compound into hundreds or thousands of dollars over long trips.

🇦🇺 Australian banking

Bank	Fees	Features
Macquarie Bank (Primary)	• $0 international transaction fees • $0 ATM fees (foreign ATM fees may apply)	• Mastercard exchange rate with no markup • HISA with no minimum balance or growth requirements — ideal for spending, not saving
Up Bank (Secondary)	Same Mastercard benefits as Macquarie	• Lower interest rate than Macquarie • Excellent app for tracking spending in AUD and local currency

Always have a backup. Two cards from separate banks protects against loss, theft, ATM issues, and online banking lockouts. Add all cards to your digital wallet. Choose banks that have 2FA integrated in their app — you won’t have access to your Australian phone number abroad.

🗺️ International banking

Provider	Use For	Limitations
Wise	• International transfers (SWIFT) • Holding and converting foreign currencies • Sending money between travellers	• Do not use for ATM withdrawals — fees and conditions are much worse than Australian fee-free debit cards
Revolut	• Backup account for Wise	• Do not use for ATM withdrawals • Not essential if you already have Wise and Australian fee-free cards
PayPal	• Secure online payments • Sending money between travellers	• Uncompetitive FX rates

Add these to your digital wallet.

🏧 Cash & ATMs

⛔️ Decline ATM conversions

When an ATM asks whether to charge you in AUD or local currency, always choose local currency. ATM-provided rates are often 5-10% worse than Mastercard rates.

📉 Minimise ATM fees

Many countries charge unavoidable ATM fees for foreign cards. Ask an LLM for the cheapest ATM options.
Withdraw larger amounts less frequently (within your risk tolerance).
If studying abroad long-term, open a local bank account to eliminate these fees.

Summary: Macquarie for spending & cash, Wise for international payments & currency holding, Up & Revolut as backups, PayPal for online payments. This covers majority of travel scenarios with minimal complexity.

Accommodation

The largest variable expense while travelling. Small percentage savings compound quickly. Always stack discounts and check for cashback and loyalty benefits.

🛍️ Cashback portals (ShopBack)

Cashback portals rebate a percentage of your spend when you click through to booking platforms from their site. This does not affect the price you see or your booking conditions.

Used consistently, this reduces total accommodation spend by 5–20%.

💕 ShopBack

Works with Booking.com, Agoda, HostelWorld, Expedia, Trip.com, Traveloka, Hotels.com.
Cashback is paid after stay completion.
Rates periodically increase with “upsized” promotions.

➡️ Booking flow

Before any booking, check if cashback is available. If yes, click through the portal. If not, book normally.

This should not change what you book — only how you book.

💰 Typical ShopBack rates

	Cashback	Upsized (often weekly)
Booking.com	5.5%	10-15%
Agoda	5.5%	13%
HostelWorld	2.25%	5%

🏠 Booking platforms

💙 Booking.com (Preferred)

Largest inventory of hostels, guesthouses, and budget accommodation. Consistently strong UX and competitive pricing. Reliable integration with cashback portals.

Genius level 3: Unlocks permanent discounts. To accelerate eligibility, book the cheapest possible stays (e.g. $1–$5/night in low-cost regions) until the threshold is met. Lifetime savings often exceed the initial cost.
Mobile-only discounts: Prices are often lower in the app.
Stacking system: ShopBack portal → Booking.com → Genius discount → Mobile discount.

Student discount programs exist but generally add limited incremental value.

🧡 HostelWorld

10% off student discount via Student Beans.
Best for hostel discovery and social-focused features.
Often priced higher than Booking.com and offers a smaller inventory. But student discounts can materially improve value. Best used selectively rather than as a default.

🤍 Agoda

Occasionally lists different properties or pricing. UI is weaker. Best used when cashback rates are significantly upsized.

💻 Direct bookings

Some businesses offer lower prices when booking directly — always worth a Google search or asking in-person. Still compare against cashback-adjusted prices on major platforms.

Summary: Route every purchase through ShopBack portal. Platform hierarchy: Booking.com > HostelWorld > Agoda. Stack loyalty with Booking.com & HostelWorld discounts.

Packing List

Pack light, reduce theft risk, and plan for constant movement.

Weight, bulk, and unsecured valuables are the primary sources of friction while travelling. Everything you carry should earn its place.

🔐 Security & theft prevention

🔒 Numbered combination locks (x2+): For your main pack and hostel lockers. Skip keyed padlocks. Cable luggage locks are more versatile.
🚲 Lightweight bike lock: Useful for temporarily securing your belongings to fixed objects on trains or hostel lobbies. Can be a thin steel cable secured with your combination lock or a standard bike lock.
📍 AirTag: Peace of mind when luggage passes through multiple transport legs.
🌊 Waterproof phone pouch: Enables swimming without leaving valuables unattended.

🧳 Bags & weight management

🎒 Carry-on only (strongly recommended): Saves on flight costs, speeds up transit, and forces discipline. You will always fill the bag you bring — stay light.
🎒 Main pack: Choose a front-loading backpack with lockable zips. Avoid top-loading hiking packs — they are slower to pack and harder to secure.
👜 Day pack: Lightweight, compact, collapsible and ideally water-resistant. Large enough for a laptop and water bottle. Should fold or attach to your main pack.
☂️ Rain cover: Protects your bag during transit and poor weather. Acts as an extra layer of security by concealing zips and contents. Essential in tropical regions.

🔧 High utility gear

🔗 Carabiners (x5+): Hang shoes, additional storage, and wet items off your pack. Attach to all toiletry bags. Cheap and invaluable.
🔌 Universal travel adapter: All-in-one international adapter with multiple USB-A and USB-C ports. Charge everything from a single outlet.
🚿 Quick-dry towels (x2): One for showering, one for the beach/swimming.
🧺 Small mesh laundry bag: Isolate damp clothing and allow airflow. Hang externally from your pack when commuting.
👂 Corded earplugs: Connected via string. Never lose a single plug again. Invaluable for hostel dorms, long buses, and flights. Prefer silicon.
💧 Insulated water bottle: Keep water cold in tropical climates — a genuine treat. Essential in countries without safe tap water. Thread the lid through your waistbag strap for hands-free carrying.
📱 Phone case with card storage: Replace a traditional wallet. Carry your ID and accommodation key on your phone. Use a money clip for cash.
📖 E-reader: Infinite books at negligible weight.

👕🩳 Clothing

👝 Packing cubes/drawstring bags: Roll clothes tightly. Clean clothes live in cubes, used clothes live outside cubes. Prefer unstructured drawstring bags because they too roll up tightly.
👚 Multipurpose clothing: Pack one week’s worth to avoid constant laundry. White will always get stained. Prioritise versatile, light pieces suitable across climates and settings. Buy niche/specialised items at location when needed.
🩴 Xero Genesis sandals: Lightweight barefoot sandals. I love them.

🛫 Airports & transit optimisation

🧣 Fillable neck pillow: Hollow neck pillow packed with your clothing during transit — dual benefit of a pillow and reduced weight/bulk of your carry-on bag.
👖 Parachute pants: Lightweight pants with generous pockets for shifting heavy items onto your person during luggage weigh-ins.
🫂 Dual-bag check-in strategy: When travelling with a partner and checked baggage, interlock packs, encase them in a durable zip bag and check them as a single item. One 40kg allowance is often cheaper than two 20kg tickets.

Summary: Carry less. Secure everything. Front-loading bag, carry-on weight, minimal valuables, fast access.

Studying Abroad

The most accessible long-term travel.

Studying abroad subsidises accommodation, visas, flights, and living costs. Compared to traditional backpacking, it enables more time overseas, higher quality experiences, and far less financial strain.

💕 Malaysia

My year abroad in Malaysia remains my most impactful travel experience.

It set the standard for what I look for in long term travel destinations:

Cost of living: Extremely low, enabling frequent travel and a higher quality of life on a student budget.
Geography: Access to modern cities, pristine islands, and expansive rainforests. Kuala Lumpur is home to AirAsia — fly across SEA at the price of a Melbourne dinner.
Cuisine: Exceptional quality, variety, and affordability. Eating out daily is normal and economical; I did not cook a single meal the entire year.
Ease: English-speaking population, developed infrastructure, and high personal safety.
Culture: Visible history and diversity reflected in architecture, food, and demographics.

Continue to pay standard Australian HECS-HELP fees, not international tuition rates. Partner university programs act as pass/fail and do not affect their WAM, reducing academic pressure and freeing time for travel.

Base yourself in low-cost regions to trade budgeting effort for experience density.

💵 Centrelink & financial support

Government support for Australians studying abroad materially changes the economics of travel. Leverage these opportunities for heavily subsidised travel.

Youth Allowance: Students aged 22+ studying abroad are assessed as independent and living away from home. This enables access to the maximum fortnightly payment (≈$677).
Semester bridging: Enrolling in consecutive semesters abroad allows Centrelink payments to continue during the break between them. A summer break can add around 3 months of payments (≈$4,400).
OS-HELP loans: Access up to 2x (≈$10,130 for Asia) OS-HELP HECS-style loans. Additional language study loadings are available (≈$1,330 for Asia).

Total estimated support ≈ $34,115, assuming:

A typical 2-semester year of Mar—>Nov covering 18.5 fortnightly Centrelink payment cycles (18.5 * $677).
Receive 2x OS-HELP loan schemes for overseas study in Asia (2 * $10,130).
Enrol in language studies in preparation for your exchange (1 * $1,330).

Also consider the many grants and scholarship opportunities on offer. Exchanges are structured to be accessible to all students. Used correctly, these supports fund a significant portion of your living and travel costs.

Monash University

🇲🇾 Monash University, Malaysia

The best-value program available to Monash students. Underrated and high-leverage.

High acceptance rate: Intercampus exchange has significantly higher capacity than partner universities. Meeting the 60% WAM requirement results in near-guaranteed placement.
Monash abroad travel grant: ≈$2,500 lump sum. Automatically assessed. Additional scholarships available.
Academic continuity: Same units, curriculum, and grading. No credit approval friction.
Campus experience: Smaller classes and increased staff engagement compared to Clayton.

🎓 Monash GIG

Flagship first-year program. 12 credit points, flights, accommodation, and visas are 100% funded by the university. An incredible selling point for VCE graduates — this alone would have sold me on Monash.

Summary: Study abroad in low-cost regions. Maximise Centrelink, OS-HELP, and university grants. Total financial support ≈ $34k for a year in Asia. Exchange programs reduce academic pressure while funding extended travel.

Planning Practices

Prepare deeply, commit lightly.

Good planning reduces stress and cost without eliminating spontaneity. The goal is to arrive informed, not locked into an itinerary.

💭 Pre-travel planning

Do just enough planning to remove friction.

Identify major regions, cities, and experiences of interest that require advanced planning. Understand visa constraints and rough time limits. Sketch a loose entry and exit point for the country. Estimate a high-level route to minimise backtracking.

Nothing is fixed. This is about optionality, not commitment.

🚐 In-transit planning

Most detailed research happens en route.

Research your arrival destination on bus rides, ferries, or in terminals. Recommendations from other travellers are recent and contextual. On arrival information is fresh and relevant.

This timing increses excitcement and focus producing better decisions than planning weeks in advance.

🚶‍♂️ The day-to-day

Arrive informed, then play each day by ear. Avoid rigid day-by-day itineraries. Prioritise geography, cluster activities to reduce transit time.

This balance maximises both efficiency and enjoyment.

🏡 Flexible living

I like to have at least one night always booked ahead. Beyond that I want to maintain the flexibility to pivot or extend stays. If I don’t have a place to sleep the following evening stress creeps in.

Locking in too much accommodation reduces presence and increases planning stress. If you love a place, stay longer. If you don’t, leave easily.

🗺️ Google Maps lists

Create location-specific lists in your Google Maps app (e.g. 🍜 Hanoi Food, 🍻 Bangkok Bars). Pin all recommendations as you encounter them. This replaces all itineraries, bookmarks and lists. The visual clustering makes day planning trivial and efficient.

This becomes your live itinerary.

👯 Managing group expenses

Skip the limited Splitwise free tier. Use Tricount or Splid for group cost tracking. Less friction, fewer notifications, no artificial limits.

Transportation

✈️ Flights

Google Flights: Route discovery and pricing trends. Find cheap flights using the “Explore” map view with no set dates or destination.
SkyScanner: Cross-checking and budget carriers.

Use both. Prices vary. Always check cashback portals.

🚌 Buses, ferries, vans, trains

In-person booking: Often cheaper, but risks sell-outs during peak periods.
Online platforms:
- 12Go Asia: Most reliable and widely supported.
- Bookaway: Better UI, frequent promotions.
- EasyBook: Sometimes cheapest, frequent promotions, inconsistent coverage.

Balance spontaneity with availability and affordability.

🚕 Taxis & ride-hailing

Grab is dominant across much of SEA. Most regions have local equivalents — ask an LLM.

🪪 Identity & document handling

Never leave your passport as a deposit for accommodation or bike rentals.

Summary: Plan enough to remove friction. Stay flexible enough to change everything.

Travel longer. Spend less. Stay flexible.

💕 Love from, Aaron

Referrals

	Benefit	Referral
ShopBack	$20	Link, Code: FZHkAn
Up Bank	$26	Link
Wise	Free Wise debit card or free transfer	Link
Revolut	$100	Link
Student discounts	10-15% typical	Student Beans, UNiDAYS, Student Edge