Travel

[Alter Ego]

@World Traveler

I went to Africa with Gutsy Women Travel before they became affiliated with OAT.  My understanding is that they go on the same OAT tours but are women only.  To the extent that the tour doesn't sell out, it opens to anyone via OAT. The website will note that the tour may be open to all sexes. I don't think they necessarily go anyplace OAT does not.

Are you looking for more adventurous travel?  I always thought Backroads looked interesting, but I'm not in shape for their tours.  I know someone who met her husband on one of their bike tours.

Now back to our regular scheduled programming LOL...

[itsmagic]

@World Traveler Thank you for taking the time to post your trip report. I'm enjoying reading it!

[goldensrbest]

I am jealous, love to go to england, how do they like their health care?

[flickerbulb]

@World Traveler

I went to ESW with Cosmos a few years ago and it was great! The first couple of hotels had no a/c and it was HOT! I went down to ask the front desk for a fan and he looked at me like I was crazy!

After heading north, at least it cooled off. Scotland rest stops have samples of Scotch whiskey and other beverages! The big department store even had a guy in a tux giving out samples!

When we got to Liverpool, we took a ferry over to Ireland. It was an excellent trip that I need to do again soon. I am envious and look forward to pictures and reports. Have a great time!

[World Traveler]

@Alter Ego You did? WOW,  What a coincidence.  And maybe you have mentioned it in a post on our original travel thread.

OAT is known for sending you umpteen brochures and promotion fliers. I do not remember ever getting anything from them on Gutsy Women. I am surprised they are not promoting it on their other two websites. Maybe they are trying to diversify and do not want to be "in your face" with all its affiliates. Makes me wonder if they have other tour companies I have not heard about.

The website looks totally different from their GCT/OAT ones, so I would have never guessed.

Yes, I prefer adventurous trips, but cannot see anything new to do with the two I like dealing with. When I get some free moments on this trip, I will check their website out more closely.

Thanks for the info. This gal I met sure did like the trip to Australia with GWT.

[World Traveler]

@itsmagic Thank you for telling me. 

[World Traveler]

@goldensrbest I have talked with several people about their health care and what they think. It varies. On one side, they say they are taxed at about 50%, which seems really high. On the other side, they do not worry about their medical bills.

Then there are some who say that the type of care you get has to do with where you live. If you are in an area, a borough, where there are better doctors to access, then you are sitting pretty good. But if you are in an area where there are so-so doctors, then even though it is paid for, it might not be the best care. So it appears you cannot just go to anyone if you are using the socialized medical care. If any of you are more familiar with medical care in this country, please let us know if this is correct.

I forget which surgery it is, but one lady said if you needed that type of surgery, most people go over to France to have it done.....that the type of care they need is better there, just for that particular surgery. Will try to think more on which one they are talking about.

[chprsp]

Flickerbulb, your trip with Cosmos sounds exactly like ours in 04. London was so hot and no a.c. Or fans. We stayed at the Kensington Close Hotel. After heading north it really cooled down. We took the ferry to Ireland too and came back by way of Wales. I would love to do it again.

[World Traveler]

@flickerbulb Oh, I heard about Cosmo many years ago, like maybe 30 years ago. I have not run into them like I have with Trafalgar or Globus. I think Cosmo and Globus are sister companies, but have not seen Cosmo buses in years.

Fortunately, it has cooled down quite a bit, and it may rain for the first time since I have been here. It started to sprinkle this morning while I was at the Tower of England, but was so light and over quickly, it was as though it did not happen. I am told that I can expect rain tomorrow. 

Well, if I stop where there are samples of Scotch to drink, it will be wasted on me! Ha! My drink of choice is Starbucks Chi Tea Latte, nothing stronger.  But I would like to take a photo of the tux-wearing department store employee and post it here. That would be a cool picture.!

[flickerbulb]

@chprsp

Yes, that was the trip! I extended the trip with Globus after that and stayed in London a few more days and then went to Paris.

On the ESWI leg, I made sure to upgrade to have a single room. There was a woman on there who was coughing and hacking and was paired with another traveler. The non-sick woman begged me to be her roommate, but I said that I paid for the single.

Well, that sick woman must have spread her cooties to me, because by the time I got to Paris, I was so sick. I went to the Pere Lachaise cemetery and remember thinking they could just kick me into one of the graves, I felt so bad! I should have told the tour director to send me to a doctor to get antibiotics!

It was raining the whole time in Paris but I was determined to see everything, in spite of the germs!