window or aisle? :: a travelogue

This is basically two separate trips that I was able to book back-to-back. I got a mistake fare last month from Minneapolis (MSP) to Acapulco (ACA) for $105 RT. I booked 4 tix for me and my family to go from 1/6-1/9 as sort of our "winter vacation". A few days ago, I saw $319+tax airfare from Dallas (DFW) to Osaka, Japan (KIX). I had a brainstorm -- normally I would be unable to take advantage of this deal. But I happen to be passing through DFW on my return from ACA. So, I decided to skip my final leg home to MSP, stay in DFW for a few hours, and jump on the deal (as that is a very good price from anywhere in the US) to Japan. So, I'd be in Osaka, Japan for 6 nights . . . Awesome. Then I got to thinking . . . Japan is really expensive for transportation, food, etc . . . I have a lot of frequent flier miles . . . It only costs 20,000 frequent flier miles to go from Japan to anywhere in Asia . . .

A few hours later, my brother and I were planning a 4 day trek through Bangkok & Thailand (BKK). To get my award ticket redeemed, I had to connect through Kuala Lumpur (KUL). Actually, I'd have to overnight in Kuala Lumpur on my way to Bangkok. Aww, shucks. Now I'd have to explore another city. ;) Since this "mini trip" is bracketed inside the original trip to Japan, I'll also have a day on either end in Osaka, which should be enough time to see my cousin and a friend who are both studying in Japan right now. I also have a $250 voucher for hotels in Japan, so my lodging there will be free. All this and back in time to start school for the final time. Oh, and a final plus: I get to transit through Kota Kinabalu (BKI), one of the stops on The Amazing Race from a few years ago, and also a place I thought I might never pass through.

Thoughts? Comments? Slaps upside the head? :)