CosmosGO

Uploading and updating the App was a breeze. Login was easy with info that is unique for each tour member. All the info needed to enjoy the trip and tour are readily accessible. Help is just a few clicks away. Cosmos even provides access to one’s airline (United Airlines in my case) and recording one’s flight itinerary was easy. Seat selection was easy through United even when one leg is managed by another Airline (Lufthansa in my case). United Airlines has its own travel ready advisory and I had to rescan my passport again. Maybe in the future this may not be necessary if Cosmos forwards travel info and pertinent docs to the airlines without the necessity of duplicating it.

The tour was as advertised but it had no built in time to explore and talk to the people of the area. Our guide, Michael, was very knowledgeable about the history of Scotland and very amusing, but I was trained by heavily traveled family members and I was a tour guide for Harris County Precinct 4’s Senior Adult Fun program for several years. This 7 day trip covered a lot of ground but, if you stopped to talk or laugh with locals, the best part of travel for us, we threw his schedule off. And I was trained to get to know my local hosts, thus learning so much about their culture. I only got to know my fellow travelers which was lovely and fun. They agreed about the rigid schedule. Next time we go overseas we will hire a private driver, though. The accommodations were nice and the restaurants were very good, but as all my family said, we’ve been explorers since 1620 when we came to America and we don’t take kindly to regimentation. Even if we are getting old.By the way, our driver, Janos, was excellent, impressively so.On a side note, at the Kelpies, I was asked by one of the souvenir shop ladies where I was from. My Texas accent amused her and we had a lovely 5 minute chat about her desire to visit there which made us a couple of minutes late back to the bus. As we apologized and turned to run back to the bus, she thrust 2 small jars of whiskey jam into my hands, free.And this is the joy of travel, making friends and sharing joy. Please learn to figure in some quiet times to stop and smell the flowers and share our lives with others. That is the true value of going to new places. Unless all you want is to work on your master’s thesis.Constance Whitaker Ward

This is the first time I’ve used an app on my phone for a Cosmos vacation. I found it to be terrifically useful. It holds all our travel documents, with descriptions of the tour, optional excusion information, and an encyclopedic amount of information about the sights, many of which are in addition to those included on the tour. There is also a link to a map to show you where the sights are located. I used the app more than I expected, and I’m still using it now that I’m back home, to learn more about my favorite places. Thanks, Cosmos!