Preparations to go

I have four weeks before I leave, and typically I dont even begin thinking about anything until about three or four days before I leave. The only thing I check this far out is if I can find my passport, because if I can't then I need this many weeks to get a new one (or find it). I also have to apply for any visas this far out if I need them. I did find my passport so all is good.

This time I need two visas: Australia and India. I've got an Indian business visa valid for five years so that's a non-issue. And while we are on the subject of Indian visas, I have no idea why I have one for five years and everyone else got one for a year. What did I do wrong? As for Australia I can get that online - everything they do is electronic so no need to send in your passport or anything with them. So - good to go in the visa/passport department.

Now, at the suggestion of my V.P., I am traveling West to East rather than East to West like I have done the other 2 round-the-world trips I've done. I have no idea why Im listening to him because you should stick with what you know. But, I do have to be New Zealand first rather than Europe so I guess it makes sense. The bad thing about doing it this way is that the flights are longer due to the Earth's rotation/winds. Yuck. Why make things longer? But, he insists that I will feel much more rested. Ok...I'll give it a try.

Here is my itinerary and the number of hours for each flight:

American Airlines Dallas to Los Angeles 3 hours 15 minutes
Cathay Pacific Los Angeles to Hong Kong 14 hours 45 minutes
Overnight in Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong to Auckland, NZ 10 hours 55 minutes
Six nights in Auckland
Qantas Airways Auckland to Sydney 3 hours 30 minutes
Qantas Airways Sydney to Mumbai, India 12 hours 45 minutes
four nights in Mumbai
Cathay Pacific Mumbai to Hong Kong 5 hours 45 minutes
British Airways Hong Kong to London 12 hours 55 minutes
Full day but no overnight in Hong Kong
British Airways London to Frankfurt 1 hour 45 minutes
two nights in Germany
American Airlines Frankfurt to Dallas 10 hours 35 minutes

Total flight time: 76 hours (give or take) - so what we are talking here is basically if you were to fly non-stop for just over 3 days straight..that's 76 hours. I must be insane. Going the other way would make it over 10 hours shorter.

Hotels this time around:
Hong Kong - Renaissance Kowloon (never stayed here before - not even sure where it is)
Auckland - Hyatt Regency Auckland (no clue)
Mumbai - Intercontinental Grand Mumbai (stayed here every time and it's great)

More to come....