I mean most of us live around a circular series of events and its pretty hard to get out except when you are on annual leave, leave of absence (LOA), in-between jobs or when you retire.
Good pictures I believe can come by when you put yourself in a totally foreign environment coupled with a set mind to consciously take meaningful moments of life. And if you live in Asia Pacific, the pervasive budget airline may just be your ticket to do that.
Good glass and good equipment are ideal but as we start as amateurs, composition is more important. Its like cultivating a good instinct and algorithm in our brainworks. What differentiates a good photographer from an average one is the degree of imagination and visualization he or she can manage to compose in their brain while traveling.
Try the above tips and see where it will take you!