Long time reader, first time poster. Be kind and point out errors.

I am currently on a reward *A RTW that was gained through the UA RTW promotion (out of DC). To avoid cross-posting, I will provide details of my quick runs to obtain reward status, and the frustrations of working out my itinerary with repeated UA agents on other forums. Also, I'll describe individual aircrafts and trip reports in other forums.

Itinerary (note: parentheses denote layovers only). Date convention followed is MM/DD/YY

1/10/05 ORD-(DEN-LAX)-HNL // 1/12 HNL-(NRT-ICN)-SPN // ...own means on CO 1/16 SPN-GUM // 8/2 GUM-KIX // 8/5 KIX-HKG // 8/10 HKG-SIN // 8/11 SIN-KUL // ...plan to travel KUL-MES own means in this period, or possibly Myanmar // 10/10 KUL-BKK // 10/25 BKK-MCT // 10/31 DXB // 11/3 DXB-(FRA)-CAI // 11/21 CAI-VIE // 11/22 VIE-CDG // 11/24 CDG-LHR // 11/30 LHR-(MAN)-ORD

I am happy to discuss many aspects of my trip, but have a little time, as you can tell from the long GUM layover I'm currently on.

My problem follows: A friend and I have planned a 2nd trip through the South Pacific, starting soon after I finish my current RTW, with the following parameters. About 3.5 months total. Definite stops: Australia for 6 weeks (any entry and departure point OK), New Zealand 3 weeks, about 1 month total for the following islands: Fiji, Tonga, W. Samoa, Rarotonga, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, Easter Island. Now, we can probably take ferries or regional flights through French Polynesia, and will probably have to buy a separate r/t fare for PPT-Easter Island, but all of the other locales are serviced by NZ, so we figured some type of Airpasse or RTW fare would be cheapest.

Further constraining factors: For factors beyond my control, I need to return to GUM in 2006 at least between 08/01-12/15. I would prefer to be there earlier, as I have work lined up, and extra money helps. Further constraint, my friend doesn't want to start the RTW trip until around 2/7/06. Finally, talking with a NZ rep, I am told that NZ only services the S Pacific islands mentioned (and other major carriers also follow these dates) between Oct 31-May 15 each year. Therefore, since I need to be in GUM btw Aug-Dec, we'd have to do the trip either after I finish in GUM (post 12/15/06) or btw 12/1/05 (when I finish this RTW) and 5/15/06 (end date for travel on NZ or major carriers for S. Pac.).

Main restraint on me is $$$. So, basically, I want to minimize costs. I am open to opinions on how to further proceed, but my main limiting factor is GUM, which is very expensive to get in/out of.

The best idea I can come up with follows. Please suggest improvements. One option is to not take last leg of current RTW and take a Great Escapade RTW fare from London, with stops like: LON-LAX-PPT-(own r/t PPT-IPC)-RAR-AKL-APW-TBU-AKL-NAN-AKL-SYD-HKG-(own r/t HKG-GUM)-SIN-DEL-LON

I realize that fare is not a *A fare, but 2/3 carriers (SQ/NZ) are *A, so perhaps y'all know about rules. I placed the routing as such (re: AKL) because I assume I'd have to do that routing to do all the islands mentioned, since as far as I can tell, the only island-hoppers on NZ are AKL-NAN-RAR-PPT-LAX and AKL-TBU-APW-LAX. Please tell me if my routing is illegal...and we aren't even talking about miles yet, as I haven't crunched all the numbers.

Also, I really don't care how or where I get to GUM from, it's just that on that ticket, HKG was the cheapest place I could find to get to GUM. TPE is cheaper r/t, as well as MNL, but if I can't get to either, HKG is fine. Suggestions would be appreciated.

However, to take that fare, I'd start and end in LON, so I'd be stranded thereafters, and have to take into account getting back to US (probably ORD, LAX, or HNL...won't know unfortunately until much later, with trip in progress). Furthermore, if I stick to my friend's convictions, and leave closer to 2/7/06, I'll have to either finish current RTW as is, wait out 2 months in ORD (or wherever I find short-term employment) and fly over to LON (probably r/t and embed Great Escapade ticket)...or I'll have to wait out several weeks in Europe, which can be expensive.

Also, dates out of the question on this type of ticket (due to higher rates) for starting are Dec 10-23 or Jan 1-14. And since I have to be in GUM until 12/15/06, and RTW tix are only good for 12 months, I'd have to either travel btw 12/24-31/05 or after 01/15/06.

So, I've presented a lot of details, and I'm sorry if my thought process is muddled and verbose, but please consider what I've written and present me with the cheapest way to do the desired itinerary (doesn't even have to by a RTW ticket...just want cheapest option, even if S Pacific Airpasse), with the main constraining factors:

Trip starting after 12/1/05 (preferably closer to December than February)
Travel through S. Pacific islands before 5/15/06 or after 12/15/06
Need to be in GUM at least 8/1/06-12/15/06, but preferably by 6/1/06
Want to finish whole trip in US...don't know destination, but either ORD, LAX, or HNL most likely
Cheapest possible option (taking into account not just ticket prices, but lag-time...therefore, most economy of time).

If I could, I'd like to fly 12/5/05 ORD-GUM, then do S. Pacific, Australia, NZ 2/7/06-5/15/06, then go back to GUM until 12/15/06, finishing by flying from GUM to HNL. I just don't see this as a viable option, as ticket pricing seems prohibitive.

Sorry to bother everyone with a taxing query. BTW, take into account taxes (this last RTW "reward" ticket cost just shy of $600 in taxes). I'd love to keep the entire cost under $3000, but I'm realistic b/c of how GUM limits things. However, I definitely can't go over $4000, and even over $3000 is definitely more than I'd like to spend. Doesn't have to be a RTW ticket, but I'd prefer *A carriers or CO.

Very sincere thanx in advance to the entire community. I've learned a lot and grown addicted to airline travel. FT helped a lot in planning my first RTW (the one I'm on), and I hope to contribute further throughout the years, if I can add to the community. A great forum y'all have here!!!

Marquis790