新概念阅读：如何计划环球旅行

　　Circumnavigating the planet and stopping off wherever you fancy is the ultimate trip – perfect for travellers who want to see it all, or who are just plain indecisive. But booking a round-the-world (RTW) trip can be a complex business. Here is a guide to get you started.

　　对那些犹豫不决又想要到处看看的旅行者来说，最完美的旅行莫过于环游世界并且想在哪停就在哪停。但是预订一次环球旅行（RTW）可不是什么轻松的事情。接下来，就让我们来告诉你该怎么开始吧。

　　How to do it 　　要怎么做？

　　The most economical way to circumnavigate the globe is to buy a RTW air ticket that uses one airline alliance. Theoretically, any routing is possible, but knowing how the RTW booking system works will make your trip cheaper. For example, the Star Alliance, a coalition of 27 airlines which fly to 1,185 airports in 185 countries, offers a RTW ticket with a maximum of 15 stops.

　　最省钱的方法就是订购同一航空联盟的全球套票。理论上来说，任何的路线都是可能的，但是了解整个订票系统的运作方式会让你的旅行更加经济节约。 比如说星空联盟， 涵盖27个航空公司，185个国家内的1185个机场， 提供的全球套票最多包涵15站。

　　There are rules: you must follow one global direction (east or west – no backtracking); you must start and finish in the same country; and you must book all of your flights before departure, though you can change them later (which may incur extra charges).

　　你需要知道的规定：必须顺着一个方向旅行（向西或向东，不能走回头路）； 起点与终点都必须在同一个国家。另外必须在出发之前预订所有的机票，不过之后可以改签（可能要加钱）。

　　How long you will need 　　要花多久的时间？

　　You could whip around the world in a weekend if you flew non-stop. However, the minimum duration of most RTW tickets is 10 days – still a breathless romp. Consider stock-piling annual leave, tagging on public holidays or even arranging a sabbatical in order to take a few months off work. The maximum duration of a RTW ticket is one year.

　　如果你马不停蹄的话，一周可以游完世界。 但是，大部分全球套票的最短航期是10天， 即使这样，旅行者仍没有什么喘息的空间。可以考虑把年假和公共假日累积起来或者是利用休假年来进行环球旅行。最长的全球套票航期是一年。

　　When to go 　　什么时候去？

　　The weather will never be ideal in all of your stops. So, focus on what you want to do most and research conditions there. If a Himalaya trek is your highlight, do not land in Nepal mid-monsoon season; if you want to swim with whale sharks off the coast of Western Australia, be there between April and July. Then accept you will be in some regions at the “wrong” time – though this might offer unexpected benefits (for example, Zambia in wet season means lush landscapes and cheaper prices).

　　在所有去的地方中，不可能每个地方的天气都很理想。 所以，把重点放在你想做的事情上面并且做好充分的调查。如果你想去喜马拉雅山徒步旅行，就不要在季风季去尼泊尔。 如果你想要去西澳大利亚的海岸边与鲸鱼游泳，那最好就是在4月到7月之间去。做好心理准备，有些地方可能去得不是时候，但是也可能会有出乎意料的惊喜。 （例如，雨季的赞比亚郁郁葱葱，而且价格会比较便宜。）

　　In general, city sightseeing can be done year-round (escape extreme heat/cold/rain in museums and cafes) but outdoor adventures are more reliant on – and enjoyable in – the right weather.

　　一般来说，城市观光不限季节（博物馆和咖啡馆是遮阳避寒挡雨的好地方）但是户外的探险还是需要有好的天气。

　　Where to go 　　去哪里？

　　The classic (and cheapest) RTW tickets flit between a few big cities, for example London – Bangkok – Singapore – Sydney – LA. If you want to link more offbeat hubs (Baku – Kinshasa – Paramaribo, anyone?), prices will climb considerably. The cost of the ticket is based on the total distance covered or the number of countries visited.

　　经典的（也是最便宜的）的环球旅行路线在世界几大城市之间穿梭，如伦敦-曼谷-新加坡-悉尼-洛杉矶。如果你想要加入更多不寻常的城市（巴库-金沙萨-帕拉马里博，有人想去么？），价格就会向上飙升。RTW机票的价格是基于飞行的里程或是游览国家的数目而定的。

　　Remember, you do not have to fly between each point: in Australia you could land in Perth, travel overland and fly out of Cairns. Or fly into Moscow, board the Trans-Siberian train and fly onwards from Beijing.

　　记住飞机不是唯一的交通工具，你可以飞澳大利亚的珀斯，陆路环游澳洲，再从凯恩斯坐飞机离开澳洲。或者是飞莫斯科，坐跨西伯利亚火车到达北京，再从北京坐飞机飞往下一站。

　　Pick some personal highlights and string the rest of your itinerary around those. For instance, if you are a keen trekker, flesh out a Peru (Inca Trail), New Zealand (Milford Track) and Nepal (Everest Base Camp) itinerary with Brazil (Rio’s a good access point for South America), Australia and northern India.

　　选几个自己特别想去的，剩下的再根据这些来定。 例如说，如果你喜欢徒步旅行，可以选择秘鲁（印加古道），新西兰（米尔福德步道）和尼泊尔(珠峰大本营）一线，加上巴西（南美旅游可以从里约热内卢开始），澳大利亚和北印度。

　　If budget is an issue, spend more time in less expensive countries. Your daily outgoings will be far higher in Europe and North America than in South-East Asia. Indonesia, Bolivia and India are particularly cheap.

　　如果预算是个问题的话，建议多选择花销比较小的国家。北美和欧洲一定是比东南亚要贵。印尼、玻利维亚和印度东西超便宜。

　　Tips, tricks and pitfalls 　　温馨提示

　　Talk to an expert before you book: you may have an itinerary in mind but an experienced RTW flight booker will know which routings work best and cost least – a few tweaks could mean big savings.

　　订票之前先请教行家： 你可能已经勾勒好路线了，但是一个环球旅行的订票行家会知道什么样的路线最好最便宜，稍微调整一下可能就可以省下一大笔钱。

　　Be flexible: moving your departure date by a few days can save money; mid-week flights are generally cheaper, as are flights on Christmas Day.

　　订票要灵活：适当改变出发的时间可以省不少钱，周中的机票一般比较便宜，圣诞节当天的机票也是如此。

　　Think about internal travel: it can be cheaper to book internal flights at the same time as booking your RTW ticket. But, with the global increase of low-cost airlines, you may find it better (and more flexible) to buy them separately as you go.

　　建议国内旅游： 全球套票和国内机票一起预订会比较便宜。 但是随着全球廉价机票的兴起， 环球机票和国内机票分开来定或许会更省（也更灵活）。

　　Be warned: if you do not board one of your booked flights (say, on a whim, you decide to travel overland from Bangkok to Singapore rather than fly it) your airline is likely to cancel all subsequent flights.

　　注意：如果旅行中有一站你没有登机（比方说，你突然心血来潮想要从曼谷走陆路到新加坡），剩下的航班都有可能被取消。