Have you ever thought about taking a trip around the entire globe? Perhaps you were inspired by Jules Verne's classic story, "Around the World in 80 days". The romance and adventure of traveling around the circumference of the world is very intoxicating to many - but few actually complete the journey. However, you should know that making such a journey isn't as difficult - or as expensive - as it might sound. With the right planning, you could have the adventure of a lifetime without going over your travel budget. Are you ready to learn more?
Is a round the world ticket worth it?
Some globetrotters opt to buy a round the world ticket, a pass that allows you to book flights on multiple airlines that belong to the same alliance. According to Nomadic Matt, a travel blogger and expert in the field, these tickets can be worth it if you want to stick to a set schedule and you know exactly where you want to go. For example, you could buy a ticket through Star Alliance, one of the largest alliances of airlines in the world, and book several tickets across multiple countries in one go. Later, you can change the time and date of the tickets if your plans change - but you can't change the destinations without incurring a fee. Also, you must start and end your journey in the same country. It is important to note that you won't find any budget airlines in these alliances - so you should price out your trip both with and without the round the world ticket to see what comes out as the better deal.
In many cases, you can save some money by grabbing cheap tickets separately. For instance, when you use Fare Buzz to book your airline tickets, our staff of travel experts can help you get the best deals with specially negotiated rates.
Which cities will you visit on your trip around the globe?
Planning your trip
The planning process is crucial when it comes to deciding your destinations. A trip around the world is longer than your average vacation, so you need to check your dates carefully. You wouldn't want to end up in Moscow in the middle of winter! Lonely Planet suggested picking a theme for your trip and working around that. For example, if you're looking for adventure, you'll want to pick out places where you can go hiking and really explore nature. If you're looking for culture, then you should try to plan your trip around festivals and holidays. Maybe you want to go scuba diving in every ocean - in that case you'll want to know when the best diving seasons are.
During this process, you'll want to look into the best times of year to buy tickets as well. For instance, going to Rio de Janeiro during Carnival is likely going to be more expensive than during the off season. So you'll have to weigh your options - would you rather spend a little extra to go during an exciting time of year, or would you rather save your money and go when the city is less crowded? Again, a travel expert can help you make these decisions.
Fogg traveled by train, but you can see much more when you fly.
The Jules Verne route
In "Around the World in 80 Days," Phileas Fogg attempted to circumnavigate the globe in the shortest amount of time possible. As such, he stuck mostly to the center of the globe, where there were direct lines of transit. Unlike Fogg, you won't be traveling by steamship and train, but by air. That makes the journey quite a bit more feasible.
Here is Fogg's itinerary, as summarized by World of Learning:
- London to Suez - 7 days
- Suez to Bombay - 13 days
- Bombay to Calcutta - 3 days
- Calcutta to Hong Kong - 13 days
- Hong Kong to Yokohama - 6 days
- Yokohama to San Francisco - 22 days
- San Francisco to New York City - 7 days
- New York City to London - 9 days.
Nowadays, you'd be able to make the same trip in a significantly shorter amount of time. The trip from Yokohama to San Francisco, for instance, is under 10 hours by air. That means that modern travelers would get to spend much more time exploring each city. Why rush like Fogg, when you can take your time and enjoy the sights and experiences in each city and still complete your trip in fewer than 80 days?
Are you ready to start planning your next adventure? Start plotting your route today!