Fair enough, but I didn't mean to suggest that every trip using the RTW has to be some weeks-long marathon. My examples may have been misleading in that they showed numerous overseas stops in one pass - e.g. home to Alaska to Hawaii to numerous stops in Asia then more stops in Europe before ending.

You could just as easily focus on shorthaul flights within North America and still get good value. For example, a 3-continent (Europe, North America, Asia) Oneworld economy ticket starting in Norway has a base price of US$1643. That still gives you up to 16 flights - 4 in Europe/Middle East, 6 in North America (incl. Caribbean and Central America) and 4 in Asia, plus the intercontinental flights.

So fly to Norway on the cheap some weekend (one way from MIA in, say, October, is around $475, or else use some miles.) Eat some lutefisk (or not) then hop on a flight to London or Madrid or Doha and connect home to south Florida. You'd be gone maybe 3 days (or more if you want.)

Then you have six flights within North America to use. Long weekend trips to Costa Rica, or to Canada, New England, Texas, the west coast? Spread them out over 10 or 11 months. Then when you can spring for a couple of weeks, cross the Pacific to Japan? Korea? Hong Kong? Bali? Thailand? - and then connect through Doha or Helsinki or London or...? to get back to Oslo before the ticket turns back into a pumpkin 12 months after the first flight. The idea being, it doesn't have to be some major expedition, it can be a series of brief trips.

Anyway, just a thought.