Four months ago, I packed up my perfectly curated Melbourne life, placed it neatly into a 3x3 storage cage, and boarded a one-way flight. Since then, I’ve travelled through Bali, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kuala Lumpur, and Sri Lanka, with Thailand just around the corner.
This isn’t a list of the top ten attractions. This is the reality of long-term travel: the lessons I’ve learned, the things I wish I knew, the surprises, struggles, and the humour that keeps you going when things get unpredictable.
What I’ve Learned from 4 months of travel
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Not everything is as it seems. There are scams. There are people who see tourists as opportunity—sometimes dishonestly. Be open, but stay a little wary.
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Most people are genuinely kind. Tourism is a livelihood, and when someone helps you out, a simple 'thank you' or a small tip goes a long way.
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The weather is unpredictable. Always carry a poncho or rain cover—especially if you’re carrying cameras or other electronic devices.
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Trust your gut. If something feels off, it usually is.
My Travel Advice (If You’re Interested)
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Download offline Google Maps before landing in a new country.
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Look up the local ride app (Grab, Gojek, inDrive, etc.) to avoid being overcharged.
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Don’t let anyone carry your luggage. You’ve got wheels. You’re fine.
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Pack a power bank. Trust me, it’ll save you more than once.
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Use an eSIM and a backup plan. I use Felix to keep my Aussie number active and Nomad for travel data.
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Build in rest days. You’re not a machine.
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Be patient with the Instagram people. Yes, they’re annoying. But they’re also part of the culture now. Remember the family photo days with a disposable camera? Same vibe, different era.
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Support local businesses. Choose a family-owned café over a chain. Always.
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Try the local cuisine. And if you can’t eat out, grab the ingredients and make your own.
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Listen to local guides. Their stories shape your understanding.
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Pack light. I travel with 20kg for a year, and I’ve sent some things ahead to our winter destination just to make it lighter.
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Do something silly everywhere you go. It keeps the joy alive.
Biggest Surprises from traveling South East Asia for 4 months
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You can adjust to almost anything in 24 hours. Sleeping in a wild cabin with no windows and animals wandering in Sri Lanka? Took me a day.
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I need to stop. I didn’t expect to crave stillness. But I do.
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Documenting everything isn’t always helpful. Sometimes you miss the moment trying to capture it.
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I have a new respect for travel creatives. It’s a full-time job.
Most Challenging Travel Moments
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A tiny propeller plane to Cambodia. My husband was not okay. Never again. We’ll take ferries or long drives from now on.
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Different travel expectations. What does a year on the road look like for each person? You’ll need to navigate some tough conversations if you're not aligned.
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Energy management. We’ve done four countries in three months, and even with built-in rest days, I’m exhausted. New apps, new languages, new transport rules—constant adaptation is draining.
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Slower is better. Rushing builds disappointment. Slowness builds appreciation. There’s no prize for how many places you tick off.
How I Travel Now
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Minimal planning. I book a room, check the neighbourhood, and that’s it. Once I arrive, I use AI to help me build a loose itinerary. Have I missed things? Definitely. But I can always come back.
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Flexible mindset. Cambodia was beautiful. I didn’t see it all. But I didn’t need to. I’ll return.
Funniest Travel Story? One Day: Frog. Bat. Spider & Monkey
We’ll leave it at that.
Helpful Travel Tips You Probably Won’t Read Elsewhere
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Ask for help. Don’t rely entirely on Google. In the low season, “fruit stalls” might not exist as shown. You need to know where the locals go, and what it’s called. We’ve spent hours searching for food based on bad info.
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Healthy routines are hard. New countries, new gyms, new apps. Finding a yoga studio that teaches in English with vegan cafes nearby? Rare. We now rely on online apps, our own practice (thankfully, I’m a yoga and meditation teacher), and the fact that walking a city sometimes is your best cardio.
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It’s okay not to love every place. Sometimes you don’t click with a place. Sometimes it feels heavy or chaotic or just not right. It’s okay to leave early. You’re not failing. You’re honouring your needs.
What A Travel Journey Really Teaches
Long-term travel isn’t about the sights—it’s about your capacity. It tests how well you can stay calm when things go wrong, how flexible you can be when plans fall apart, and how present you can remain when every day is different.
It’s not always glamorous. It’s rarely easy. But it’s deeply, deeply rewarding.
And when you give yourself permission to go slow, to not do it all, and to laugh at the chaos, you’ll start to see the magic.
Words from the Road: Keep it light. Keep it honest. Keep going
