A round-the-world trip is not something you do every week. Well, you wouldn't be able to afford it for starters. But, beyond that, this might mean some of the places you visit will be a once-in-your-lifetime experience. You may be visiting them for the first and last time, so you'll want to try and see all there is to see and not miss out.

To help you on your way, we've compiled five top tips to fitting in the sights and highlights. A couple of them involve planning in advance; the others are more a case of being flexible. That's what round-the-world travelling is about: a mixture of planning and staying open to what will crop up.

Getting from A to B
It's easy to forget that travelling between destinations takes time - it's not just about the days you have in each town or city. A travel agent can help you plan this in the most efficient way. Alternatively, a guide book might give you a good idea of what to expect. Remember, there are sometimes ways you can cut down on the time you 'waste' in between places. Think about overnight options, for instance. Also, make sure you know how often your train, bus or boat sets off between your A and B. These journeys are not always as regular as your local bus in your home town.

What's on?
It's worth finding out if anything is happening in the places you're visiting before you travel. You might arrive somewhere in the middle of a festival, and you'll kick yourself if you haven't left time to celebrate along with the locals.

Assign the time
It might seem a little over the top, but it's really worth assigning time to each of the things you want to see in any one destination, then add up to give you an idea how long you should stay. Of course, it's easy to underestimate how long something might take. So, try to be generous with time. You'll not want to be on the go 24-7 either.

Give yourself time to breathe
We thought it was worth stressing the point made in #3 above. Round-the-world is not about lugging rucksacks around day and night. There'll always be a beautiful beach you want to lie on, or a city you'll want to spend a little more time in. Organise your itinerary so there's still room for it to breathe. Always overestimate, or give yourself contingency time (15-20% on top of what you're expecting). That way, you'll be able to put your feet up where there's a particularly nice view.

More time or edit down
Once you've totted up the time you'll need in each destination -and the time it'll take to travel in between - have you got enough days to do it all comfortably? If not, there are really two options: (1) give yourself more days; or (2) edit down the itinerary. Perhaps you need to check with the bank manger first.