This week, Around the World!

Deal of the Week: Around the World (12/21/2001)

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Diana: This is the Savvy Traveler, I'm Diana Nyad. And Rudy Maxa is back with us, checking his list to see who gets his deal of the week. Rudy, welcome back.

Rudy:Hi Diana.

Diana: So what's it going to be? Don't we all deserve a deal?

Rudy:Well, of course, but this one is for the more adventurous out there. How about going around the world, like from Miami to Madrid, then by train to Paris, and on to Saigon and Hong Kong before returning to Miami?

Diana: Wait a sec. That's quite an itinerary! You go Miami to Madrid, then Paris. Then fly to Saigon, fly to Hong Kong. Then fly back to Miami? Sounds great, but at what price?

Rudy:Less than $1,900, including taxes.

Diana: Wow! Where do I find that?

Rudy:There's a San Francisco-based firm that's long specialized in around-the-world trips called Airtreks. If you visit its web site, airtreks-dot-com and click on the specials, you'll find that deal and several others that you can book 'til the end of the year.

Diana: What a last minute Christmas present! Wow. Do I have to begin travel before the end of the year?

Rudy:No, no. In fact, you have to book at least month in advance, so you can travel in the spring of the new year.

Diana: Are you wedded to particular dates when you buy an around-the-world ticket?

Rudy:That's the beauty of it-you are not. You have to begin travel within a couple of months of purchasing your ticket, but you can take as long as a year to complete your travel. So you set the amount of time you spend in each destination.

Diana: Can you give us another sample routing?

Rudy:Sure. Not all are technically around the world, but you cover enough miles and visit enough interesting places that you'll feel as if you circled the globe! Like this one: Atlanta-London-Nairobi-Johannesburg-Buenos Aires and Atlanta.

Diana: Whoa!

Rudy:That's priced at about $2,100.

Diana: Can you change your cities along the way?

Rudy:Sometimes you can change your final destination for a fee of $100. And, of course, you can land in a city and use it as a base for a few weeks or months to strike out on your own to nearby destinations.

Diana: Around the world with Airtreks. I like it, thanks, Rudy. Happy Holidays. I'll see you next week.