Final Thoughts

2 flights.  14 hours + 3 hour layover + 6 hours 

2 flights. 1:45 + 4 days + 2:15 + 3 days

2 flights.  7.33 hr + 14 hr layover + 7.25 hr

2 flights.  1.5 hr + overnight + 10.5 hr

22,361 miles in 316 hours 
(averaged 70 mph over 14 days)

8 flights
6 airlines (2 new ones for us)
7 aircraft types
8 countries (2 new for us)
50+ hours on planes

DFW-NRT     AA      777-200ER
NRT-SGN     JAL      787-8            
SGN-BKK    VN      A321          
BKK-SIN      TH      777-300ER        
SIN-AUH      AY      787-9   
AUH-CDG    AY      A380-800
CDG-LHR    BA       A320         
LHR-DFW    AA       777-300ER

This surely isn’t the trip for everyone, and perhaps few people would even WANT to do this if they could.  We are very blessed and grateful to be able to do it.  For Bill, traveling the world has been an allure for decades, and the notion of flying AROUND the world was a bit of a fantasy.  Maybe silly, but still intriguing.  (Although I actually DID fly around the world for a business trip about a year ago (it was the same time either way, so I went there one direction, and came home making a circle).  That trip was just Bill, in coach for 35 of the 42 hours, so a MUCH different experience).  Trying out the Residence has also been a fantasy, so figuring a way to merge the two made it an adventure.  

Would we do it again?  Theresa says “No”, Bill says “Maybe”.  We would certainly no do it like this.  I would love to do it again after I retire, taking 4-6 weeks, so we can see a bit more and not make the back half a race.

Highlights?  For Bill, adding new countries is always fun.  And the Residence experience is amazing.  Being picked up, shuttled around, and generally treated like a VVVIP, well, that is amazing!!  For Theresa, the highlight was trying all the regional food.  Vietnamese Coffee was new - Thai Curry and Thai Tea and even getting some Indian Dahl on the way.  Plus the Mango Mojito on Etihad (non-alcoholic cocktail)

Best Lounge?  Gotta be the Residence in AUH. Food, service, privacy, the whole deal (except no bed)!

Worst Lounge?  Gotta be the BA one in CDG.  The men’s room urinals were BOTH out of service, the room was warm, and the food and beverage selection was meh.  But, it was still better than sitting in the general areas, so not complaining.

Low lights?  For Bill, Being wet with sweat every day we went out in SE Asia, being in monsoon season, and not getting enough sleep between our fancy flights on Etihad.  For Theresa, other then how HOT and wet it was in Vietnam and Bangkok and how much that seemed to just sap me, it would be how disappointing the final leg (First class on AA) was, especially for the amount of cost (points) it was.

In an earlier version of the trip, Theresa had actually managed to map out nearly the whole trip on six different airlines, but all A380s.   But it was tough to merge that with the Residence - and with a budget that would be close to palatable!  Even after we started this one, we had a route home that included two more airlines (Air France and Aer Lingus) on two new aircraft types.  But switching to the AA flight a day later gave us an extra day in France, so we got to see something, not just camp at an airport hotel.  We spent a LOT of points and miles on hotels and airlines to keep the cost down.  The points have value, but they also aren’t money.  

I would say, I’m glad we did it.  Theresa agrees and learned a lot about planning, different miles programs, and balancing different hotel options.  There are definitely things we would have done differently had we known some of the stuff we know now.  But, overall, it was a successful and enjoyable trip!  For 8 different flight segments, to have the largest "issue" be having to check our bags on BA, that is truly something for which to be grateful.

Until next time... 😁