Thanks all, for this very helpful information. The plans suggested are very creative and I'm trying to absorb the suggestions. While doing so, I have a couple of follow-on questions.
If you start from some distant origin, say IST, then do you deal with a travel agent in that location or can it be done directly with the airline you are booking the RTW with? Presumably you pay in the local currency and it gets converted on your credit card statement.
Which other forums on this site are the most relevant supplementary ones-- to get information to follow up on your suggestions about cheap flights from CMB, BKK etc?
I hadn't directly been thinking about the use of the RTW ticket to build up FF credit, but I see your points and will check that out in the other forums.
Thanks again.