planning 6 week world tour

[saintpeter48]

any ideas how to go about organising a trip around the world, for about 7/8 weeks. places i would like to visit are, New York, Las Vegas, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam,Japan, China, Thailand......this is just a rough idea as to places to go but does anyone know of any companies that would arrange flights, hotels etc or is it easier and cheaper to plan it myself. thanks for any help.

[VHG]

Buy a round the world air ticket, and only fly in one direction - eastwards or westwards.

[coccinelle]

I used the co-op for mine and found the consultant very patient and she had good tips and ideas. It might be cheaper to do it yourself but it won't be easier and if say you were delayed at some place you might not be insured for that delay. I booked some excursions with the co-op before leaving but I found they were cheaper on site and there was more of a choice. I did get taxis booked with the co-op too to meet me at the airport and take me back to airport; this all meant no delays. HTH

[coccinelle]

I must add: do go westwards to avoid jetlag.

[T&S]

If you have a Flight Centre store locally, give them a try they were excellent for us when we got a round the world ticket.

[JulianaChia]

Definitely do not book hotels in each country you're going to. Try using www.roomorama.com, an online marketplace for short term rentals. They have listings all over the world and renting with them would help you save a lot of cash since you're traveling quite a bit.

Accommodation is always cheaper when you plan it yourself, the flights itself may or may not be cheaper because air fares are quite fixed. Research on your own with multiple airlines and also check with your travel agent. You should probably travel in this order: Las Vegas, New York, Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and then head down south to New Zealand. When you're in NZ, don't forget to check out the geysers in Rotorua. You'll be pleasantly surprised and it's an amazing view. Enjoy your trip!