Find a comprehensive library with Consumer Reports Travel Letter from August 1998 (unfortunately comprehensive, library and Atlanta don't go together). They have the most extensive report on RTW that I have seen.

Basically there are the *A and 1W mileage based tickets, and two/three airline combinations (DL, SR, SQ being among them) which are somewhat cheaper. The two/three airline combinations have two broad price ranges--one for North Atlantic/Pacific and a different/more expensive one for South Atlantic/Pacific (essentially including South Africa and/or Australia).

Fiji makes this a "South Pacific" trip.

My advice:

1. Read FT and if you can find it, the CRTL story.

2. Try to find an OAG (Official Airline Guide). I know that Atl/Fulton County Public Library doesn't have it. With it, you can look up the cities and see what airlines they have in common.

3. Find a combination of airlines that covers your cities. Remember that flights within Europe are fairly cheap if bought in advance (i.e. if one combination takes care of your Asia needs but doesn't get you to AMS, take it and get from wherever you end up gateway-wise in Europe to AMS. You can leave open jaws in RTW ticketing.

4. If you end up going with *A, and don't have a travel agent you want to use, I can recommend Elizabeth Beavers at the United City Ticket office at the Sheraton-Lenox (right in the lobby across fm Lenox Square). She's terrific.

5. If you do it yourself, the protocol is you call the airline (say DL). You get to the international reservationists, then say "I want a RTW ticket". They then take your dates and cities, give you a record locator, and tell you that it is going "to the RTW desk" or "to the rate desk". 24 hours later you can call back and find out the results. You then can tweak the dates/particulars, and resubmit. You usually can't talk directly to the RTW specialists, but this system works pretty well.

Good luck--please email me if u need help as I'm in ATL also.

jl