Firstly, apologies for the long post....

I'm going RTW in 2009 but I don't know how I'm going to save the money. Have I budgeted accurately?

The Route I'm going is:

London – Mumbai – Delhi – Bangkok – Perth – Sydney – Christchurch – Auckland – LA – Atlanta – NYC – London

Mumbai 5 nights £ 100
Delhi 5 nights £ 100
Private Flight to Kathmandu 3 nights £ 250
Delhi 2 nights £ 40
Bangkok 5 nights £ 120
Perth 5 nights £ 170
Sydney 5 nights £ 180
Christchurch 5 nights £ 250
Auckland 5 nights £ 280
LA 5 nights £ 235
Bus to San Francisco 3 nights £ 150
Bus to Las Vegas 5 nights £ 255
Bus back to LA 1 night £ 65
Atlanta 5 nights £ 140
Bus to Orlando 5 nights £ 260
Bus to Miami 5 nights £ 215
Bus to Charleston 2 nights £ 200
Bus back to Atlanta 5 nights £ 180
New York City 5 nights £ 205
Bus to Niagara Falls 2 nights £ 145
Bus back to New York City 2 nights £ 160

Total: 85 nights + Travelling


Flights £1840
Actual Travelling Costs £3700
Extra Just in Case Money £ 500
Money Pre-Trip £ 300
Money to cover while away costs £ 500
Money to come back to £ 500
-- -----
Total Cost of Trip £7340


I'll be staying with Friends in Atlanta, that's why its so cheap.

But do I have the costs about right?

I've budgeted slightly more for America cause of the cost of Food and the Greyhound Bus around the South (Florida/Georgia/Louisiana).

Any tips would be appreciated.

Many Thanks.

All of those numbers look very reasonable. You will probably have to watch your budget in places like NYC and Sydney, but as long as you don't plan on staying in great places in the more expensive places and eating on the cheaper side it shouldn't be an issue. It is hard to say though, as 2009 is a long ways away. Your pre-trip money is pretty light if you need vaccinations, though given your amount of time in India it's your call if you wanted to get them.

I think you are really rushing yourself though. 85 days is very, very tight. If you are more of a city person and are just looking to hang out in the destination cities listed, I'm sure you'd be fine. I can't imagine you not wanting to spend more time in any of the places listed though. With 85 days I'd be more tempted to just hang out in southeast asia (or india), or australia, but there is definitely something appealing about getting a sampling of 4 continents.

Budget looks about right, but I would echo Vagadams sentiments of slowing things down or cutting things down. It looks like you pegged only major cities and hubs, which is great for flights and transportation but I think it will leave you feeling stale after a while. Some of the best memories I've made traveling are usually those that come outside the metropolises and capitals. Either way it sounds like a great trip and something to look forward to. Best of luck.

Hey DreamerHelen..

What sort of ticket are you looking at for your rtw ticket? I managed to get 5 US internal flights included in mine + 3 in Oz. Just a thought that you might be able to cut the cost down by trying to get them in your original ticket.

I generally dont see the budget as being too far off....You might want to consider things like vaccinations (the cost does mount up) as do other pre-travel neccessaties.

I'd have to agree with others about the rushing around thing...it does seem awfully compact and you'll want to be careful not to tire yourself out (remember bus/train journies in US and Oz can take up a day with ease). It does seem a shame to go over to Oz only to spend 10 days there....just my opinion though.

I guess a similar thing could be said of Thailand...by just touching Bangkok I dont think you'd really be seeing the best of the country.

Was that a typo or are you really going THREE years from now? If so, you need to just save as much as you can and then start looking at the budget as it gets closer. A lot can change in that amount of time, for currency conversions if nothing else.

And why would you plan this tightly when it's time to go, much less this far ahead? If you cut that itinerary in half, you'll probably spend 1/3 to 1/2 less. Too much rushing and too many things that have to work out perfectly.

Don't know if you have picked up the inference Helen that this is one different RTW trip.

Just in case you haven't, have a good think about what you're trying to achive in whizzing around to all these places otherwise the dream could turn in reality to a nightmare.

And I'm not being seriously weird either.

I seriously don't know what anyone would do in Vegas for 5 nights. Same with Orlando, but to each their own. There's really not much to do in Niagara other than look at the Falls. I understand the desire to see them, but it's a bit of a trek from NYC. That being said, I like to go once a summer, as it makes a nice day trip from TO. Which, BTW, might make a better departure city than backtacking to NYC? Certainly a lot closer to the Falls.

I'm sure this will coalesce in the next 3 years. Enjoy the planning.

like everybody else said, it's a good budget but a weird itinerary. there are far better places to go.

10 nights in Atlanta? Why? There are far more interesting cities to visit.

Better to hit New York earlier, maybe add Washington, Boston, Chicago, or someplace else to the trip.


Not sure if you've ever experienced the true vastness of America, but Atlanta-Orlando, Frisco-Vegas, and Miami-Charleston are very long bus trips.

edit: I just noticed you have friends in Atlanta. That's cool, but even they'll tell you that Atlanta is just one big-ass sprawl with more for people who live there than for travelers.

Just a side note some of those bus rides are going to be very long..., just thought you should know... the trip from San Fran. to Las Vegas can easily exceed 10 hours without stops while the Miami to Charleston leg can be 13 to 14 hours without stopping, according to mapquest.com.

Also, Charleston has little going for it it would be better to skip it and stay in Atlanta for two more days. On another note, your skipping a couple thousand miles of the US, it might be worth it to look into staying in the Rocky Mountains for a while, they are unbelievable, breathtaking. There are plenty of cities you can fly to and get a cheap shuttle to the mountains to, may I be baised and suggest Denver.

Thanks for all your advice guys....

I might rethink doing a RTW Trip and just do lots of smaller trips and wait until I'm old and grey and have time when I'm retired to do a RTW Trip...that's something to think about.

Thanks for all the advice, I'll take it on board.

quote:

Originally posted by DreamerHelen:
Thanks for all your advice guys....

I might rethink doing a RTW Trip and just do lots of smaller trips and wait until I'm old and grey and have time when I'm retired to do a RTW Trip...that's something to think about.

Thanks for all the advice, I'll take it on board.

Its certainly a possibility for sure but dont let any of this put you off!

Planninga rtw tip has far more to it that some realise and you can find yourself banging your head against a brick wall on regular occasions. Trips mutate the more research you do and I can assure you mine is VASTLY different from the original idea a couple of years ago. I leave to start mine in just over 2 weeks and have been through change after change after change with the itin.

There's a lot to it but seriously, dont let it put you off doing it. You have plenty of time so go do your reserach, read some blogs here, read what others have to say on here, take a look at a few books (The Rogh Guide First Time Around The World is an excellent place to start). Read up on counries and places you could go...have a think about what you want from the trip and what you want to see or do.

I did a month round Europe in September last year to give myself a tatster of the bigger trip and I learnt a hell of a lot doing it! I tried to cram too much in for starters and by the time I hit Brugge I was ready to collapse - And I did!

Just some ideas for you to have a think about.....Like I said, keep working at it and it willstart to take shape. For now, worry less about exact dates and days and cost from one to the other but focus on teh overall trip, the places and the possibilities. If you have limited time then maybe do think about doing some smaller trips or concentrate on one continent.

Wasn't trying to put you off a RTW trip, was just suggesting you rethink the US portion of the trip.

Distances are huge, and you really can't see most of the country on one trip.

I'd suggest the highlight cities of San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Boston with at least a few days for one of the big National Parks out West. They are much bigger and wilder than the Parks in Western Europe, and I think would add more to your trip thn Niagara.

American beaches can be very expensive, so you might consider skipping them and hitting less expensive ones in Asia on that leg of your trip. If you did want to spend some time beach-side, then there are plenty close to Charleston (skip Myrtle Beach, Isle of Palms and Hilton Head are much nicer) and that's not a bad side trip fom your friends' place in Atlanta. You could also hit LA (staying near Venice/Santa Monica), just be advised that LA without a car sucks.

For comparison purposes, Atlanta to Miami is about the same distance as London to Barcelona.