7th Annual Round the World Trip – Ready, Set, Go!

After months of planning, the day is finally here!

This afternoon, I’ll depart for my 7th Annual Round the World trip! As I’ve said before, 30 days is more a guideline than a rule and this year’s trip will top the calendar scale at 45 days. This is thanks, primarily, to award seat availability in and out of the U.S. – but who am I to complain?

It will also be my most ambitious itinerary yet with 19 stops in 16 countries (increasing my current country count from 105 to 115). Like previous trips, most of the stops are new to me but there are a few favorites that I never miss when “in the neighborhood” (like Paris, Bangkok & Auckland).

Two of this year’s stops are hard to reach destinations that have been on my wish list for years – Easter Island and the Maldives. Thanks to some creative flight routings, this is the year I will finally get there!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to book through these links, I receive a small commission, which I will undoubtedly blow on more flights (it’s a vicious cycle).  All of this internet voodoo takes place at no additional cost to you. 

I’m also happy to report that one of my very good friends, Susan, will be joining me for two weeks in the middle of the trip (meeting me in Paris and flying home from Hong Kong).

Without further adieu…here’s the complete itinerary:

Round the World #7 – The 2012 Itinerary

Jan 11-16          Easter Island, Chile

Jan 16-18         Santiago, Chile

Jan 19-24         Malta

Jan 25-27         Mauritius, Indian Ocean

Jan 27-28         Reunion Island, Indian Ocean

Jan 29                Paris, France

Jan 30               Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

Jan 31-Feb 3   Maldives, Indian Ocean

Feb 3-4               Sri Lanka

Feb 5-7               Koh Samui, Thailand

Feb 7-9               Bangkok, Thailand

Feb 9-12            Hong Kong & Macau

Feb 13-14          Melbourne, Australia

Feb 14-15          Hobart, Tasmania

Feb 16-19          Queenstown, New Zealand

Feb 20-22          Vanuatu

Feb 22                 Auckland, New Zealand

Feb 23                 Seoul, South Korea

Feb 24                Back home in Atlanta, GA!

If you have travel tips or must-sees for any of the above destinations, I’d love to hear them. Tonight, I’ll be starting my trip with a flight to Lima and an overnight layover at the airport before flying on to Easter Island tomorrow.

I hope you’ll all follow along as I attempt to see even more of the world – one month at a time!