Sorry for the delay in response, but just to level-set folks on how we do things: When we were sitting on the ground at DFW on Friday (literally on the plane right before the door closed), we found out that my client had rescheduled my work for this week, but BZBDEWD had to go to SFO to pick up her new perscription for some fancy new contact lenses.... so we went anyway. So, there we are in SFO and no client for next week. We called AA to see how much it would be to change the ticket back to TUS... $200 and no good seats/no upgrades available on the flights we wanted... so we called the rental car folks and told them we were going to drop the car off in Tucson... and we would just drive home... got the contacts on Saturday, B&B in Groveland that night.... a stop yesterday in Yosemite... and now we are in Bakersfield (Had to be somewhere with connectivity and good/consistent cell phone service for a conference call I have this morning).
All that to say, we don't do things the "normal" way. Why would we drive from SFO to TUS? Because we can. Why fly RTW? Same reason.... Most folks would never entertain the thought of going all the way to SFO just because you went to the eye doctor there and have to pick up your perscription or driving 3 days just to see what is between point A and B... most folks, that is... except for those chosen few FTers who "get it"
Of course, we know that this is not the most practical way to go (RTW, that is)... of course, we know that ITN can price out our flights... we KNOW it is DOABLE, we just wanted to know what folks' thoughts were on it... and, yes, GREAT CIRCLE means SHORTEST....
What we were really after - and I guess we should have been more clear - is are there any flights that will get us around the world... that are particularly nice to fly (i.e. typical equipment is nice, FAs known to be good, scenery is wonderful, etc) As an aside, I have flown countless millions of miles and yet I still always get a window seat. Why? Because it is one of the best ways to sightsee that I can think of... tell me what is better than flying from SFO to DFW? You fly over Yosemite, Mono Lake, the Sierra Nevada, Zion, Bryce, Cedar Breaks, the upper reaches of the Grand Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches and the Southern Rockies... now that is good stuff out the window. Seeing the Mackinaw Bridge from 35,000 ft after coming over the Foxe Basin in Northern Canada is a sight to behold... for us, it isn't always about the warmed mixed nuts in FC... the bonus is what is out the window....
Additionally, we were going to spend a day or so in one or two stops... so, this is not a TRUE MR... A week around the world means you don't stray far from the airport....but there have got to be nice places to see within reason....