RTW - 6 months - 1 yr...

A few comments.

First nice itinerary. Regarding diving, I don't know whether being deaf in one ear would affect your pressure adjustments? I wouldn't have thought the two related but I have no idea. As for the lenses, not a problem, I had lenses when I learned to dive. You may want to be careful that if your mask is on too tight as you pull it off your face it may suction the lens out (happened to me, lost in the Caribbean sea for ever....).

As you're planning on visiting the Galapagos you may as well check out a bit of Ecuador. Similarly, to get to Easter Island you may as well check out Santiago in Chile. Getting to from S. America to NZ via Easter Island most likely means flying Santiago-Easter Island - Tahiti - NZ (possibly via Cook Islands?).

Regarding elephant trek, I"m not going to get into details here but maybe do a bit of research about elephants and tourism, how elephants are trained when young, how some are treated. It's not a simple subject and at the very least you should be very selective on where you go to to ride an elephant.

Regarding Egypt. All you can do is keep an eye on the situation. Jordan's fine.

Visas will depend on where you're from I guess. Most of the places you mention it should be easy enough to sort out.

Regarding luggage, I carry around a bag which is way too big and I fill it. But that's my choice and I'm happy to deal with the consequences of lugging a bag around which is heavier than necessary. You may be the same but you should be weary of getting an 80L bag. There shouldn't really be any need for you to carry such a big bag around and you want to try and pack as light as possible, it'll make your life much easier on the road. As for Jeans, you're initial thinking is correct, it'll add weight. Also it dries more slowly which can be a hassle. Not the best thing to take travelling. You can take other clothes which won't look out of place in Sydney or Bangkok. Of course, at the end of the day if you're on Santa Cruz island checking out Giant tortoises or in Angkor Wat looking at bas-relief, you'll stand out as a tourist no matter what you wear.

Have a great trip.

As Toad says...you can dive with contacts.the ear thing might be a problem though..not sure how it will work for equalisation.I'd try it before you pay for a full course..you might be in great pain.

That bag is FAR too big.I did two years around the world with 35l and 7 kilos in my bag.You will regret trying to haul 20 kilos of stuff around with you ;-) All you need is a few clothes and frequent washing.

You can buy diving masks with a prescription lens... any good scuba gear shop should have a range of lenses and will fit it for you.

great advice from others so far. il second that it is possible to dive with contacts, i do that myself. or you can get prescripton scuba masks. you can also dive if you are deaf, but that does depend on other clinical factors too such as the cause of the deafness and if there is damage to any other part of your ear. consult you gp or specialist nurse before you go as they will have access to your clinical notes.

the itinerary is good, (im assuming you are going for a year? if you are not i would cull a few countries off the list) but just to make you aware that out of the way places such as easter island will hike the price of an rtw considerably and you may be better off comparing an rtw ticket price with individual tickets to each destination.

travelling to egypt is still fine, even now.. just stay away from tahrir square (a very small part of a very big city) and keep an eye on the news. i have a huge interest in ancient history too so would seriously recommend a month there, and getting over to petra is so easy and well worth it.

elephant trekking etc is easily accessible in thailand in kanchanaburi or chiang mai for example, just research a good conservation camp before you go!

for the bag, id say that is too big for you. get a pack that fits to your frame otherwise you will struggle to lift it. you will find you dont need to carry all that much.

as for the jeans, id leave them at home. comfy, light cargo pants will let you blend in just fine.

any other questions, please feel free to ask!

You appear to know what you want to do and why. Congratulations, you might be suprised how many people post asking 'where should I go and what should I see/do?' It's as if they have no mind of their own. Anyway, you have a plan that suits you so I see no reason to comment on it other than to say, just be prepared to throw your plan out the window if an opportunity comes up. Don't let your 'plan' put blinders on you to opportunities. Try to pre-book as little as possible to maintain flexibility.

The biggest plus of travel is arguably the freedom to do as we please when we get up each morning. No schedule to keep, no on else to please. Why so many people immediately self-impose a schedule on themselves always amazes me.

Regarding the pack. WOAH UP. That is far bigger than you need. The biggest enemy a backpacker has is weight. There is a saying in wilderness backpacking circles which goes like this. The ultimate backpacker is s/he who travels with the least weight and the most comfort. Why travellers who use a backpack don't seem to realize they can learn from wilderness backpackers (where the term backpacker originated) I don't know.

Here's a tip. If you don't know what each item in your pack weighs, I guarantee you are carrying too much weight. It isn't about giving up some item you feel is necessary for your comfort. Each individual has to decide what is a necessity for them. But what you can do is find the lightest answer to that need that is available. So as the saying says, least weight while still maintaining your comfort.

Here is a thread on picking a pack and another on what to pack, that you can compare your packing list too.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2297311

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2280830

Thanks for the replies, I hand't been expecting such prompt advice!

Ok, a smaller pack it is. I think I'll have a look at Osprey, they seem to have a good reputation for being lightweight and durable...

I'm considering taking my Kindle. I consume books like other people drink coffee and it was a boon on the long flights and bus trips round Peru. But it will add weight... I wasn't going to bother with an Ipad or such device as I'd heard that internet was available in most hostels and cafes these days; is that accurate, or would it be worthwhile investing in an Ipad to get an e-reader and internet access in the one pack?

I'm based in the UK by the way.

Thanks!

My wife and I both have KOBO e-readers but now that my wife has an iPad the e-reader has become redundant for her. She does everything on the iPad. The new mini iPad would seem a logical choice for travel being smaller and lighter than the full size iPad. It's a question of whether you find the screen big enough to suit your needs.

If you go with an iPad I would also suggest you get a stylus/pen at the same time. Touching just the right little spot on the screen with your finger can be tricky and frustrating.

Regarding the pack, remember, the most important thing is fit. Here is a good video on fitting a pack. It refers specifically to a backpack rather than a travel pack but the same applies for either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnLCM_3RjuA

Ancient history-wise, you should also think about checking out Prambanan and Borobudur in Indonesia (on Java, near Jogyakarta). I spent two days at Borobudur, and a full day at Prambanan. Did four days at Angkor, which was almost enough. Almost. In Thailand, you can check out Ayutthaya, which has a number of ruins as well. It's an easy day-trip from Bangkok.

Jordan should be fine to go to! Petra is worth a few days, and if you like Roman ruins, Jerash in the north is a wonderfully preserved site. There are also a number of smaller 'desert castles' that are really cool. If you go into Israel, there are plenty of fascinating places to see (Jericho in the West Bank has a archeological site that's interesting, though not as impressive as some).

I did SEA in June-July, when it was roasting and humid, so you may want to pick a different season to be there. The heat in the middle east isn't humid, so it's not as torturous.

Don't know when you'll be in NZ, but I'll be there around July this year, so feel free to hit me up.

Last piece of advice... bring a smaller backpack. 80 litres is huge. You don't need that much stuff, and it'll be a pain to have the weight and bulk when you're trying to stay mobile. Having my whole pack at my feet on a shady bus makes me feel a lot more safe.

A Kindle is great, yes it takes up a little space/weight, but hey, a couple of paperbacks takes up a LOT more! Many people do travel with Ipads now (whether that is a good or bad thing is a matter of debate!) and there is a lot of free wifi access almost everywhere, but I certainly would not buy one just for travelling! Save your money for your travels instead! Internet cafe's and access is still widespread!