Thanks, Patty...now I really feel bitter...no wonder they call it 'rip-off Britain'!

Well, that's yet one more reason for me to avoid flying BA and stick with Virgin (along with better service, more comfortable seats, better in-flight entertainment, and better food). Either that, or fly to New York and visit my sister for a few days before going to Zambia!

Cheers,
Julian

People - can we get back on track here???!!

What do you think of the BA option I posted above?

Patty - I need to really look it over, and will in a bit. I think I was so shocked about not knowing where my state is located, I dropped my jaw and forgot to actually look!!! ;-) But it will cost more and includes two overnights, so I'm not sure about that one.... thanks though!

Julian -

Thankfully, I've never had a layover as long as 8 or 10-hours, anywhere. So I see and understand. Though doesn't it tick you off when one person says one thing and then a surprise when it was completely different.

Should this ever happen again, just catch a taxi (or shuttle bus/taxi) into the city and we can gab a bite or bend an elbow or two for a few hours... rather almost 6-hours.

Dang! I thought I had it figured out - the one clincher - the flight from mfue to Lusaka won't get there in time so for the great LNK-LON-Lusaka trip means an overnight in Lusaka. I may just do it.

How's this?
May 25-LNK-Chic
Chica-London - 9:25 p.m.-11:15 a.m. May 26 (All United)

May 27 -Kenya Air -London-Lusaka 7p.m.-11:55 a.m.

May 27 Lusaka-Jeki - 3-4:15 p.m.

June 12 - overnight Lusaka
June 13 - Lusaka - London 10:50 a.m.- 5:45 a.m. June 14 London-Chicago - 12:40 p.m.-3:25 p.m. - onto Lincoln
Total= $1,848.79

OK - having written all this it is a bit of saving over my original flights way above. I am wondering, if from your experience, will I be utterly exhausted by the time I get to camp? Maybe it's not worth the money saved to just take one of the others, where there is an overnight of rest? Thanks for helping me verbally and mentally walk thru this!

London - Lusaka = May 26...

Final offer: $1808

5/25 ORD-LHR AA 98 9:55 PM > 11:55 AM
5/26 LHR-LUN AA 6746 (BA 255) 7:15 PM > 6:15 AM

6/13 LUN-LHR AA AA 6747 (BA 254) 8:45 AM > 6:00 PM
6/14 LHR-ORD AA 87 8:45 AM > 12:55 PM

This uses AA "codeshare" flight numbering on the BA nonstops. You would need to overnight at London on the way back. And yes, I think trying to do all the flights back-to-back is a recipe for exhaustion. Is it vacation or military service?

An all-BA itinerary from ORD costs around $110 more. You will need to figure out the LNK-ORD legs.

If you're interested, just go to AA.com and you can book it and be done, zap. If you're more comfortable on the phone, you'll pay $8 more per ticket; tell them the booking (class) code is KKRCNA.

For what it's worth, and if you travel much or would like to, this fare would allow you to "challenge" to "Platinum" elite status on AA which would give you bonus miles, access to lounges, fast track passage through security, early boarding on AA flights, ability to select exit row seats, cheap upgrades on domestic flights, etc. This one trip would earn you enough miles in the AAdvantage program for a free coach ticket in the US. If interested, go to www.flyertalk.com and look at the American Airlines board.

I have spoke.

Personally I'd go with the BA LHR-LUN nonstop as I'm very willing to pay a bit more for a more direct routing (especially if I'm flying in economy, in business or first I don't mind going somewhat out of my way). The fare that Gardyloo came up with is even better than the all BA fare.

When you're sitting at home saving a few hundred dollars seems great, but when you're sitting at the NBO airport for 6 or 7 hours on your return with 3 more flights to go, you'll be wondering to yourself why you didn't book the more direct flights for a few hundred more

Also I'm usually more exhausted when returning home from a vacation, so the overnight in London would be a welcomed break for me.

Last time returning home, we flew NBO-AMS (6 hour layover), AMS-CVG (2 hours), and CVG-LAX. Even flying in business class with access to airport lounges, I was utterly exhausted by the last leg of that trip (but I'm probably worse than most when it comes to flying).

Interesting, and I haven't been following this post closely (this is why I use a travel agent -- let them do the leg work), but I did want to respond to one comment on long layovers.

I, today, using mileage, reserved a trip for next Summer into Croatia and back from Albania (I'll work my way along the cost), and I could have a short, or full day, layover in Prague, and I elected the full day layover since it will, essentially, permit an extra day in Prague (I'll sleep on the way over, go into the city for 10 hours or so, and then fly on to Zagreb that night).

If the lengthy layover is in an interesting city, I welcome it since it allows an opportunity to visit, or revisit, a destination, and this will permit a revisit to Prague.

This looks wonderful Gardyloo, but the problem is getting to Lusaka. That return would require a night in Lusaka to get that early flight. I'll ponder some mire....oops freudian slip!! Ponder some more.

Holiday Inn, a hundred bucks. Analysis paralysis?

Hee hee!!! I like that. The answer is yes, analysis paralysis! (Rough night last night involving 2 Maine coon cats and a live-now dead -mouse.) Anyway - I'm trying to decide if I'll be able to sleep on the planes or if I should look into a layover in Europe. I'll have to get it figured out soon, though. Thanks again.......

On a less frantic note...
Wow!! 72 posts in slightly over 24 hours, not bad for a girl from Nebraska!

Dennis

Dennis - Never underestimate the power and savvy of us hicks.

Murphy's Law: No matter what you paid for your air ticket, sometime between the time the ticket is purchased and the ticket is used, there will be at least 1 fare sale for each leg purchased.

Oh, I know! To be honest I'm not really digging around for the best fares at this point...I think I've got most of them memorized. But once I get to Lusaka, and then getting back TO Lusaka at the end... these are the little things that have to go into to the equation. Complicates things a tad bit....

What I meant to say was getting from Lusaka to the Jeki airstrip, then from Mfuwe back to Lusaka...coordinating these flights into the mix is what hasn't been considered by all the very helpful posters here! I'm getting close. I should have it together by tonight. Thanks everyone. I really didn't mean for all of you to create all these itineraries for me, merely wanted input on the two options I was given. However... thanks for all your efforts!

is Barry doing your internal flights for you? he did ours (lusaka/mfuwe-mfuwe/lowerzambezi lowerzambezi/livingstone) and an agent friend of his in california did the jnb/lusaka, livingston/jnb flights.