/* eslint-disable */ // Round the World — itinerary-length hub data. // Twelve regions you can plan a year of travel through, eight long-form itineraries, // the long-form reading list, the desk, and the questions readers send in. // // RTW is naturally a thin niche: people don't book a round-the-world ticket // every weekend. The hub extends it the obvious way — a year on the road // is a round-the-world trip, and the regional long-term guides ARE the substance. const RTW_META = { count: 28, newThisSeason: 4, authors: 4, avgLengthDays: "90+", topAge: "26 – 38", updated: "May 2026", }; // I — TWELVE REGIONS, ONE TRIP. // Eight long-term regional plans + four RTW ticket-specific guides. Every link is real. const RTW_PLACES = [ { id: "europe", rank: 1, city: "Europe", country: "Long-term", region: "Europe", nights: "90+", budget: "$$", season: "May – Sep core", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1499856871958-5b9627545d1a?w=1600&q=80", coord: "Schengen · 26 countries", tag: "Editor's pick", why: "Three months on a Schengen visa, slow trains south, no car. The first leg of nearly every RTW the desk has walked.", best: ["Long-term", "Trains", "Slow"], href: "/en/plan/long-term/europe/plan-long-term-europe" }, { id: "southeast-asia", rank: 2, city: "Southeast Asia", country: "Long-term", region: "Asia", nights: "180+", budget: "$", season: "Nov – Mar core", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1528181304800-259b08848526?w=1200&q=80", coord: "Bangkok hub · 11 countries", tag: "Cheapest", why: "Six months from Bangkok with a soft loop through Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Thai south, and the islands. The longest dollar in the world.", best: ["Cheap", "Slow", "Backpacking"], href: "/en/plan/long-term/southeast-asia/plan-long-term-southeast-asia" }, { id: "japan", rank: 3, city: "Japan", country: "Long-term", region: "Asia", nights: "90", budget: "$$$", season: "Mar – May, Oct – Nov", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1503899036084-c55cdd92da26?w=1200&q=80", coord: "90-day visa-free", tag: null, why: "The full 90 days the visa allows: Tokyo, the Kiso valley, Kyoto and the Inland Sea, Hokkaido in autumn, Kyushu in winter. One country, one trip.", best: ["Trains", "Slow", "Single-country"], href: "/en/plan/long-term/japan/plan-long-term-japan" }, { id: "south-america", rank: 4, city: "South America", country: "Long-term", region: "Americas", nights: "120+", budget: "$$", season: "Oct – Apr south, May – Sep north", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1531065208531-4036c0dba3ca?w=1200&q=80", coord: "Continent-wide", tag: null, why: "Four months down the Andean spine — Cartagena to Patagonia — overland, no flights between continents. The honest way to see it.", best: ["Overland", "Long bus", "Andes"], href: "/en/plan/long-term/south-america/plan-long-term-south-america" }, { id: "middle-east", rank: 5, city: "Middle East", country: "Long-term", region: "Middle East", nights: "60+", budget: "$$", season: "Oct – Apr", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1539650116574-75c0c6d73f6e?w=1200&q=80", coord: "Jordan · Egypt · Gulf", tag: null, why: "Two months that almost no one plans: Jordan, Egypt, Oman, the UAE, the long route. Bus and shared taxi, occasional cheap flights.", best: ["Off-track", "History", "Public transport"], href: "/en/plan/long-term/middle-east/plan-long-term-middle-east" }, { id: "india", rank: 6, city: "India", country: "Long-term", region: "Asia", nights: "60 – 180", budget: "$", season: "Oct – Mar", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1524492412937-b28074a5d7da?w=1200&q=80", coord: "Subcontinent · trains", tag: "Most asked", why: "Two to six months by sleeper train. The cheapest day on the road most travelers will ever have, and the most useful schooling in patience.", best: ["Trains", "Cheap", "Long stay"], href: "/en/plan/long-term/india/plan-long-term-india" }, { id: "east-africa", rank: 7, city: "East Africa", country: "Long-term", region: "Africa", nights: "90+", budget: "$$", season: "Jun – Oct, Jan – Feb", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516026672322-bc52d61a55d5?w=1200&q=80", coord: "Cape to Cairo overland", tag: "Underrated", why: "Three months overland through Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and on. Buses and matatus, one safari, a Zanzibar week to recover.", best: ["Overland", "Safari", "Slow"], href: "/en/plan/long-term/east-africa/plan-long-term-east-africa" }, { id: "mexico-caribbean", rank: 8, city: "Mexico & Caribbean", country: "Long-term", region: "Americas", nights: "120+", budget: "$$", season: "Nov – Apr", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1518638150340-f706e86654de?w=1200&q=80", coord: "180-day Mexico visa", tag: null, why: "The Mexico tourist visa is six months. Combine with a Cuba leg and a Belize–Guatemala overland month and you have an RTW substitute for half the price.", best: ["Long visa", "Beach", "Cheap"], href: "/en/plan/long-term/mexico-caribbean/plan-long-term-mexico-caribbean" }, { id: "rtw-ticket", rank: 9, city: "The RTW ticket", country: "Star Alliance · OneWorld", region: "Tickets", nights: "365 max", budget: "$3,200 – $6,000", season: "Year-round", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1436491865332-7a61a109cc05?w=1200&q=80", coord: "16 segments · one direction", tag: "Start here", why: "Star Alliance starts at $3,200, OneWorld at $3,400. Sixteen segments, one direction, twelve months. The actual mechanics, not the marketing.", best: ["Tickets", "Mechanics", "First step"], href: "/en/book/book-a-round-the-world-ticket" }, { id: "rtw-backpacking", rank: 10, city: "Backpacker RTW", country: "Budget build", region: "Tickets", nights: "365", budget: "$2,800 – $4,200", season: "Off-peak", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1488646953014-85cb44e25828?w=1200&q=80", coord: "Off-peak segments", tag: "Cheapest", why: "How to book a backpacker-grade RTW for the price of a midrange car. Off-peak segments, AirTreks-style mixed alliances, two long stays.", best: ["Cheap", "Backpacking", "Off-peak"], href: "/en/budget/saving/southeast-asia/book-round-world-ticket-backpacking" }, { id: "rtw-southeast-asia", rank: 11, city: "RTW via SE Asia", country: "Anchor leg", region: "Tickets", nights: "16 segments", budget: "$3,400+", season: "Nov – Mar Asia leg", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1528127269322-539801943592?w=1200&q=80", coord: "Bangkok pivot", tag: null, why: "How to anchor an RTW around a long Southeast Asia leg — the cheapest place to spend a third of your year, and the smartest pivot for the second half.", best: ["SE Asia", "Pivot", "Long stay"], href: "/en/book/flights/southeast-asia/book-round-the-world-flights-southeast-asia" }, { id: "rtw-south-america", rank: 12, city: "RTW with S. America", country: "Hardest leg", region: "Tickets", nights: "16 segments", budget: "$3,800+", season: "Oct – Apr S. America", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1483729558449-99ef09a8c325?w=1200&q=80", coord: "Lima · Buenos Aires", tag: null, why: "South America is the hardest continent to fit on a standard RTW. Which alliance to pick, which routings actually work, and where to overland between flights.", best: ["S. America", "Routing", "Overland"], href: "/en/book/flights/south-america/book-round-the-world-flights-south-america" }, ]; // III — EIGHT ITINERARIES BY CHARACTER. // Long-term regional builds. These are the actual trips inside an RTW. const RTW_ITINS = [ { ref: "RTW-201", days: 90, title: "Europe,", em: "three months backpacking.", author: "Iris", price: "€4,800", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1467269204594-9661b134dd2b?w=900&q=80", tags: ["Schengen", "Trains", "Hostels"], href: "/en/book/long-term/europe/book-long-term-europe" }, { ref: "RTW-203", days: 90, title: "India,", em: "three months backpacking.", author: "Marcus", price: "$1,800", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1477587458883-47145ed94245?w=900&q=80", tags: ["Trains", "Long stay", "Cheap"], href: "/en/book/long-term/india/book-long-term-india" }, { ref: "RTW-205", days: 180, title: "Southeast Asia,", em: "six months on a budget.", author: "Marcus", price: "$5,400", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1552465011-b4e21bf6e79a?w=900&q=80", tags: ["Backpacking", "Slow", "Bangkok hub"], href: "/en/on-the-ground/long-term/southeast-asia/on-the-ground-long-term-southeast-asia" }, { ref: "RTW-207", days: 180, title: "East Africa,", em: "six months overland.", author: "Nia", price: "$8,200", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1547471080-7cc2caa01a7e?w=900&q=80", tags: ["Overland", "Buses", "Safari"], href: "/en/on-the-ground/long-term/east-africa/on-the-ground-long-term-east-africa" }, { ref: "RTW-211", days: 120, title: "Europe,", em: "four months, no car.", author: "Iris", price: "€6,400", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1473951574080-01fe45ec8643?w=900&q=80", tags: ["Trains", "Slow", "No car"], href: "/en/on-the-ground/long-term/europe/on-the-ground-long-term-europe" }, { ref: "RTW-213", days: 60, title: "Middle East,", em: "two months on public transport.", author: "Nia", price: "$3,400", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565368918826-2ed68e1ea622?w=900&q=80", tags: ["Buses", "Off-track", "Public transport"], href: "/en/on-the-ground/long-term/middle-east/on-the-ground-long-term-middle-east" }, { ref: "RTW-217", days: 120, title: "South America,", em: "without Spanish.", author: "Juan", price: "$5,200", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516738901171-8eb4fc13bd20?w=900&q=80", tags: ["Overland", "Andes", "Language gap"], href: "/en/on-the-ground/long-term/south-america/on-the-ground-long-term-south-america" }, { ref: "RTW-219", days: 90, title: "India,", em: "by sleeper train.", author: "Marcus", price: "$1,400", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1591018653284-9b8e6f5b1f4a?w=900&q=80", tags: ["Trains", "Sleeper", "Cheap"], href: "/en/on-the-ground/long-term/india/on-the-ground-long-term-india" }, ]; // IV — THE ROUND-THE-WORLD MATRIX. By trip shape, not by length. const RTW_BY_STYLE = [ { len: "RTW ticket build", days: "365", count: 9, examples: "Star Alliance · OneWorld · AirTreks", price: "from $3,200" }, { len: "Year on the road", days: "300+", count: 11, examples: "SE Asia + S. America + Africa", price: "from $14k" }, { len: "Three-month long-haul", days: "90", count: 14, examples: "Europe · Japan · India", price: "from $4,800" }, { len: "Six-month single region", days: "180", count: 8, examples: "SE Asia · Mexico · East Africa", price: "from $5,400" }, { len: "Career break, two stops", days: "120", count: 6, examples: "Europe + SE Asia", price: "from $7,200" }, { len: "Sabbatical, no plan", days: "open", count: 4, examples: "Bangkok-out, see what happens", price: "from $9,500" }, ]; // V — EIGHT READS, BY DEPTH. Reading list. const RTW_READING = [ { tag: "Method", duration: "11 min", title: "How to book a round the world ticket,", em: " mechanics not marketing.", author: "Iris", href: "/en/book/book-a-round-the-world-ticket" }, { tag: "Pack", duration: "9 min", title: "Packing for three months in Europe,", em: " one bag, no compromises.", author: "Iris", href: "/en/pack/long-term/europe/pack-long-term-europe" }, { tag: "Pack", duration: "10 min", title: "Packing for six months in Southeast Asia,", em: " the dry-and-monsoon kit.", author: "Marcus", href: "/en/pack/long-term/southeast-asia/pack-long-term-southeast-asia" }, { tag: "Visas", duration: "12 min", title: "Long-term Europe visas,", em: " the Schengen 90/180 rule, in plain English.", author: "Iris", href: "/en/visas-docs/long-term/europe/visas-docs-long-term-europe" }, { tag: "Budget", duration: "10 min", title: "Europe for a year under $50 a day,", em: " what it actually costs.", author: "Iris", href: "/en/budget/long-term/europe/budget-long-term-europe" }, { tag: "Budget", duration: "9 min", title: "Southeast Asia under $30 a day,", em: " the budget that holds for six months.", author: "Marcus", href: "/en/budget/long-term/southeast-asia/budget-long-term-southeast-asia" }, { tag: "Budget", duration: "8 min", title: "India for $10 a day,", em: " for months, honestly.", author: "Marcus", href: "/en/budget/long-term/india/budget-long-term-india" }, { tag: "Budget", duration: "10 min", title: "East Africa under $50 a day,", em: " overland, with a safari week.", author: "Nia", href: "/en/budget/long-term/east-africa/budget-long-term-east-africa" }, ]; // VII — FAQ. Drawn from the seed article and refined for the long-trip frame. const RTW_FAQS = [ { q: "Is a round-the-world ticket actually cheaper than booking flights as you go?", a: "Only if you're visiting four or more continents. For two or three, individual flights and the occasional open-jaw are usually cheaper. RTW tickets earn their keep when you actually need every segment, in one direction, in twelve months. Below that threshold, a credit-card miles strategy and three or four well-chosen tickets will beat the alliance price almost every time." }, { q: "Star Alliance, OneWorld, or a specialist agent?", a: "Star Alliance starts cheaper (around $3,200) and has the largest African network. OneWorld (around $3,400) routes better through South America and Australia. Specialist agents like AirTreks or Flight Centre mix airlines and often beat both for complex routings — they earn their fee on any trip that touches more than four continents or detours through a city no alliance flies." }, { q: "Can I add destinations after I book?", a: "Yes, but you'll pay $100 to $300 each, plus fare difference, plus often a routing fee. The honest answer: book the route you want, not the route you think you can afford to change. Most travelers shift dates, not stops; budget for the dates to slide and the stops to hold." }, { q: "How long does an RTW ticket actually run?", a: "Twelve months from the first segment, fifteen on a few specialist tickets. Most alliances cap at sixteen segments. Most travelers use ten to twelve. The constraint that bites first isn't segments or months — it's visas: the Schengen 90/180 rule, the Indian e-visa window, the Brazil 90-day. Plan around the visas; the segments come naturally." }, { q: "What about travel insurance for a year on the road?", a: "Annual travel insurance, not single-trip. World Nomads, SafetyWing, IMG Global Medical — pick one, read the exclusions, and price the medevac coverage at $250,000 minimum. The piece travelers underbuy is medical evacuation; the piece they overbuy is electronics cover. Skip the gear rider, double the medical." }, { q: "Should I just book one-ways as I go instead of a real RTW ticket?", a: "If you're under thirty-five and flexible, often yes. Skyscanner-and-vibes works on three or four legs. Beyond that, the math turns: alliance tickets price segments at a quarter of last-minute prices, and you stop sleeping well when month nine of an open-ended trip means an unbooked $1,400 flight home. The RTW ticket buys peace of mind as much as it buys segments." }, ]; // VI — THE BRIEF. Six tips for the once-in-a-lifetime trip. const RTW_PRACTICAL = [ { k: "Routing tip", h: "One direction, no backtracking, two long stays.", b: "Every alliance ticket forces one direction — east or west — and forbids re-crossing the same continent. The only way to absorb that without burning segments is two long stays of six weeks or more. Pick the two countries you'd be happy to actually live in for a month and a half; route around those, not around the famous cities you want to photograph." }, { k: "Visa tip", h: "Plan the visas before the segments.", b: "The Schengen 90/180 rule, the Indian e-visa window, the Brazilian 90-day, the Russian invitation, the Chinese tourist visa, the Iranian transit. Your route is what the visas allow, not what your alliance map shows. Map all of them on one calendar before you book a single segment, and budget $500 to $1,000 in fees plus two months of paperwork." }, { k: "Budget tip", h: "Plan in days, not in countries.", b: "$50/day will hold across SE Asia, India, parts of South America, and most of East Africa. $100/day works for Europe outside summer, Mexico, and most of the Middle East. $200/day is Japan, Australia, and the Schengen capitals in peak. Multiply by your real number of days, not your aspirational country count, then add 25% for the things you didn't plan for." }, { k: "Lodging tip", h: "Two-week minimum stays past month three.", b: "Constant moving works for a month. By month three it kills you. The fix is the monthly Airbnb or the long-stay guesthouse rate, taken in two or three places per quarter. The savings on per-night rates pay for the segments you didn't think you could afford, and the body finally catches up." }, { k: "Health tip", h: "Annual insurance, $250k medevac, paper copies.", b: "The piece travelers underbuy is medical evacuation. SafetyWing, IMG, World Nomads — pick one, set medevac to $250,000 minimum, and carry a paper copy of the policy in your bag and a digital copy on three devices. The piece they overbuy is electronics cover. Skip the gear rider; bring older gear instead." }, { k: "Mind tip", h: "Plan the return before you leave.", b: "The hardest day of an RTW trip is the second week home. The fix is the most counterintuitive piece of pre-trip planning: book a soft three-week reentry — somewhere familiar, with friends, with a coffee shop you like, before the apartment you sublet, before the job. Travelers who skip this step describe the same six-week reverse culture shock; travelers who plan for it describe a slow, useful coming-down." }, ]; // THE DESK — same four people, reframed for the long form. const RTW_VOICES = [ { name: "Iris Mendoza", role: "Senior Editor · Itineraries Desk", trips: 64, line: "A round-the-world trip isn't a long vacation. It's a year of practice in two skills: choosing what to skip, and arriving slowly. The ticket is the easy part.", av: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1494790108377-be9c29b29330?w=200&q=80" }, { name: "Marcus Lin", role: "Field correspondent · Asia", trips: 48, line: "Half a year in Southeast Asia is the cheapest education in slow travel a person can buy. The other half-year of any RTW writes itself.", av: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1438761681033-6461ffad8d80?w=200&q=80" }, { name: "Nia Adebayo", role: "Field correspondent · Africa & Europe", trips: 39, line: "East Africa is the leg most RTWs skip and the leg almost every traveler I respect lists as the one that changed the trip. Don't skip it.", av: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1607746882042-944635dfe10e?w=200&q=80" }, ]; Object.assign(window, { RTW_META, RTW_PLACES, RTW_ITINS, RTW_BY_STYLE, RTW_READING, RTW_FAQS, RTW_PRACTICAL, RTW_VOICES });