Thanks for the reminder, flamboyant 1, but let me try to explain for being not as quick as you expected: I like to earn some money for living and pleasure, I have a private live, I have hobbies and among them are post on FT. And there is time. Unfortunately this is a restriction for me!

When I am posting on FT, I am looking for priorities. Take yesterday as an example: I realized that this thread was gone and I remember that tcswede will travel on a F award to Phuket mid next week, and for him it is essential to know the facts before he is going. It is more likely that he is in favour of our community and he will share his experience with us, if everything run smoothly than he having troubles at CDG instead of enjoying dinner-time in downtown Paris, or whatever he likes to do. And then I got a couple of mails and somer phone calls offering some help how to deal with this thread. In that case I had the feeling I should post as soon as possible, which I did. Sorry to say, my post was not as precise as it should be, so I had to go for a second attempt. Besides there was no more time left before I had an appointment, I was already too tired to deal with your questions. As you know, it can be funny to be part of a thread that has the potential to go for an enter in the Guinness Book of Records, and this is not as time consuming than providing you an elaborated answer. So please be patient with me, I try to give my best!

Now to your input: I do not deal with your second option
As you clearly indicated that you buy such an award ticket only it goes for 100K M&M miles. It goes without saying, that CPT-FRA-CAI-FRA-CPT is a three region award (120/180/240k M&M miles). However, if a resident of Egypt originates from there, than it counts as European/Southern Africa award (70/105/140k M&M miles).

Now it come to personal preferences:
I do not fly for fun in the first place; fortunate for me, my schedule was never as tight, that I have an appointment in Oregon/California and afterwards in South Africa. So a trip with a travelling time of 30 hours or so is off limit for me if you consider to skip a stopover in South Africa and continue to CAI instead, it is even longer): [list=1][*]LH 459 PDX-FRA 1650-12.05+[*]LH 572 FRA-JNB 2215-0930+ [/list=a]

While it is a nice idea to maximize the value of a three region award (120/180/240k M&M miles) this would be not an option I consider.

From what I knew, I would do this:

• Plane a trip Europe – South Africa – Egypt – optional: UAE – Europe
  You have the ticket for the first part of journey (Europe – South Africa) in hand, this are the last segments of your RWSTAR3. Make the most out of your stay in South Africa, there are plenty of options, as you know. Go for a business Class award for 35K FD miles travelling JNB-NBO-CAI. Stay there. If you still are in need to continue your journey insteas of going back home, start your FRWSTAR with CAI-DXB on SQ (very popular route) and stay there. Otherwise go back CAI-FRA on LH.
• Plan a trip Europe – North America
  Go back on an award ticket PDX-FRA (70/105/140k M&M miles for residents other than North America, maybe you continue your studies in the US, a North America/Europe Award goes for 50/80/100k M&M miles; if you are travelling together, the companion award kicking in)
• Plan a trip Europe - East Cost – West Coast – Asia
  …

At the end of the day, when you sum up your costs for air travelling, I think you can be very satisfied in the service you got in exchange. I consider this approach as “smart travelling; but what ever you decide to do, make that, what fits you best!

[This message has been edited by Patron (edited Jan 23, 2004).]