Yeah, I think I need to do a heap more research.
Arrived home today after 148 days on the road doing a lap of Australia.
Did 28,742kms from start to finish staying at 51 different locations.
Drove my 2014 VF Commodore, staying in caravan park cabins, motels and with family/friends in a few places.
It was a hell of a trip.
I even got to meet @Azza78 in person when I was in Cairns.
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Highlight of the trip right there 
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So it’s possible to drive the whole way staying in buildings of one sort or another? Sounds fantastic. I’d love to do it and I may sometime soon.
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Do you think that was about the right length of time to take? And I guess you started about May and were up north for the winter?
smartraveller.gov.au has Pakistan as overall “Reconsider your need to travel” and “Do not travel” for some areas. Sounds at the very least … dubious.
Isn’t there some level where travel insurance is invalidated if you travel against advice.
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Correct. TI is almost impossible for Pakistan currently
Just as a comment on my current trip to the USA - I haven’t had an issue (knock on wood). No different to any other time I’ve visited.
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Flights seem to be coming down sharply in price
Just booked return flights to Rome for $1,680 during Aug 2026
21 hrs up
20 hrs back
Great price
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I’ve arrived home to the comforting news that NAB from this month have put international fees on the debit card I’ve been using for travel. I had taken up their offer to replace my Citibank debit card (fee free) with their card on the basis that this fee-free status would continue. Nothing in the change-over process indicated (as far as I remember) that the fee-free status was only temporary.
Needless to say that account has been closed and the card dispatched. I suspect many other ex-Citibank customers will follow suit.
I’ll be investigating a replacement Wise (or Revolut) card in the near future.
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Can I also suggest Macquarie Bank?
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You certainly can. Which card specifically? My super cash account is with Macquarie.
Just their everyday bank one. I believe it comes with a mastercard debit.
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Thanks. Will check it out.
This one.
Can confirm the rates for YEN, HKD, MOP and EUR were excellent.
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I also closed my ex-Citibank NAB debit card. And dumped 28 Degrees a while back.
I now use a UBank debit card for ATMs and a CBA Smart Awards credit card. Neither have international fees. Exchange rates seem fine. The CBA Smart Awards card generates a few ff points and the monthly fee is waived if you spend >= $2k.
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I’m not sure if there is a “right length of time”
It’s sounds a bit cliched but it took me as long as it took…I could have spent more time at the end but poor weather in Vic/SA and a waning of interest in more travel saw me head home.
I left Perth in mid June and headed North…first 4-5 days were cool/ovecast but day 6 I got to Exmouth and I was wearing shorts/t-shirts for the next four months…it was great.
There were cold nights in Central Australia but the days were great.
A few tips:
Book well ahead if you want to be able to stay in Uluru…I checked a few months before I left and all hotel type accom was booked out.
Be aware of school holidays…accom gets harder to find and more expensive…especially in favoured coastal areas.
Hit me up with any questions you might have…I’ll do my best to help as much as a I can.
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Anyone had experience flying Royal Brunei Airlines?
If so, what’s the verdict?
A couple of times and really enjoyed them.
They are probably a tier down from the real good airlines but their aircraft were clean, modern and comfortable with good staff.
They are a dry airline but do some decent meals and beverages.
Been a few years since our last trip with them but they were offering a free stopover and paid for accommodation and a really good sightseeing tour. BSB is only small but has several interesting things to see and worth a look around
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We have flown with them a few times.
I quite like them. No problems. Great bang for buck.
I never drink on flights so being a dry airline is fine by me.
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