with regards to which route.. the one I did is very popular. The amount of people we met in Thailand then met in OZ etc was unreal! Good tho Really is dependant on which places YOU want to go..

For example, my boss has just left for 8 months.. the route she is doing is

Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia,Bali, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, San Francisco, Peru

so tahts another choice