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Travel

Inga Freise Stahle Gives a Virtual Tour of Ko Samet

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Inga Freise Stahle loves to travel, and one of the destinations she recommends is Ko Samet in Thailand. Ms. Stahle explains that the island gets its name from the cajeput tree, which is found across the island. In Thai the word samet is the word for cajeput. Inga Freise Stahle also informs that Ko Samet is also called Ko Kaeo Phitsadan for the “Magic Crystal Island.”

Another fascinating thing to know about Ko Samet is its mythology. Inga Freise Stahle elaborates on some of the mystery of the island. “According to legend, Ko Samet was once home to pirates. There have been many treasure hunters who have come to look for the ill-gotten pirate’s treasure, but none have ever been found,” Inga Freise Stahle says. “On the peak of the island there is a mysterious hole named “Bor Thone” or the “Gold Pit” that is several meters deep, near the ruin of a brick wall and people have speculated that the pirates used that hole to hide their treasures,” Ms. Stahle states. “Although geologists have studied Bor Thone and found it to be nothing more than a well, the myths still persist,” adds Inga Freise Stahle.

“Another interesting thing about Ko Samet is that until the early 1980’s visitors were banned from spending the night there,” Inga Freise Stahle explains. “But, then the Forestry Department made Ko Samet a national park with a charge of 200 Baht ($7) for foreigners,” Ms. Stahle cites.

However, Inga Freise Stahle reports that although Ko Samet is technically a national park, don’t expect that you will have to camp out with no amenities. “There are many hotels, delicious restaurants and plenty nightlife options,” reports Inga Freise Stahle.

Inga Freise Stahle elaborates on what makes Ko Samet so special. “Because Ko Samet is spared from the monsoons that affect other islands, the weather is nearly guaranteed to be gorgeous any time of the year,” she says. Inga Freise Stahle also tells us about the visual appeal of the islands. “The water is cerulean and the beaches are covered with pure white sand and they are dotted with coconut trees. Ko Samet is paradise,” states Inga Freise Stahle.

About Inga Freise Stahle

Inga Freise Stahle speaks five languages, with fluency in French, German, English and Swedish. It’s a talent that has proven to be valuable for Inga Freise Stahle, vocationally speaking. As administrative assistant to the director at Haut-Lac International School, Inga Freise Stahle is often appointed to greet new students and their parents, a responsibility that requires the ability to communicate in a variety of languages.

Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, Inga Freise Stahle has also lived in Sweden, Portugal, and Russia.

Inga Freise Stahle graduated from Goethe-Institut with a diploma in German teaching, which led to service as a German tutor in Switzerland and Moscow. From 2006-2007, Inga Freise Stahle worked as a French assistant at the British International School of Rosinka, Moscow. At Siemens-Elema AB, Inga Freise Stahle assisted with translations from the Swedish language into German, French and English.

As part of her duties at Haut-Lac International School, Inga Freise Stahle organizes all administrative work for the school. This provides Inga Freise Stahle with an opportunity to use all of her known languages in communicating with the international student body. French is Inga Freise Stahle’s first mother language and German is her second. Inga Freise Stahle is also fluent in English and Swedish, and possesses a working knowledge of Portuguese and some Russian.

Prior to her work in the field of education, Inga Freise Stahle enjoyed a career in marketing and public relations. Her work with Phillip Morris SA included market research and trend analysis, as well as solid one-to-one marketing experience. She also managed consumer promotions. With Special Events Mgt., Inga Freise Stahle organized seminars and VIP trips, as well as organizing VIPs at Formula 1 Grand Prix in Europe. For M.I.S., Inga Freise Stahle conducted opinion polls for the Swiss-German-speaking region, once again putting her multilingual skills to use.

Always interested in furthering her education, Inga Freise Stahle is currently studying advanced Excel, PowerPoint and Word. She has trained as a pharmacist, executive secretary and travel agent, in addition to her extensive study of various languages. She received a diploma from the Athena tourism and executive secretarial school in Lausanne, after beginning a career as a travel agent with Havas Voyages, also in Lausanne. In 1989, she received a diploma from the British-Swiss Chamber of Commerce for the Intermediate Business English Examination.

A graduate of Pully High School, Inga Freise Stahle currently lives in Switzerland with her two children, Petter and Emilie. Her hobbies include skiing, swimming, tennis, and travel.

Travel

Carlotta Luis Discusses How to Keep Travel Fun and Affordable

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Carlotta Luis is a Travel Industry Professional who has helped countlesstravelers find the perfect vacation getaway. Carlotta Luis connects potentialtravelers with some of the best Travel Agents in the business. The key to atruly satisfying vacation is knowing what your vacation goals are, setting yourpreferences, proper planning and sticking to your budget, says Carlotta Luis.The average US Leisure Traveler is on the hunt for the lowest price with thebest quality. Travelers are typically going on vacation more than they did lastyear but they are definitely trying to spend less, reports Carlotta Luis.

True all-inclusive resorts and cruises are very popular for thefamily, individual, or group that is watching their dollars. However, thebudget-minded traveler shouldn’t discard hotels and resorts that offer aEuropean plan. There are a lot of deals to be had in that category as well. Oneimportant thing to keep in mind, points out Carlotta Luis, is that visiting anew destination is all about experiencing the culture and exploring. Accordingto Carlotta Luis, that means enjoying the natural splendor, local cuisine, music& entertainment, art & crafts, and learning about the history of the peopleand places you’re visiting.

Carlotta Luis loves to help her clients find a satisfying vacationin the right price range. Most travelers these days, notes Carlotta Luis, aretraveling on a budget but they must keep in mind that cheaper doesn’t necessarilymean better. Carlotta Luis says that spending a little more could mean betterquality accommodations, transportation, activities, or meals. Carlotta Luis explainsthat if your goal is to stay at a beautiful resort with good customer servicethen that’s what you should aim for. Always consult review sites to learn whattravelers and industry professionals are saying before you make a decision.Carlotta Luis reminds vacationers that the ultimate vacation goal is to behappy, stress-free and delighted.

Carlotta Luis notes that when it comes to activities such as waterand resort sports, spa treatments, dancing events and guided tours, theseactivities often require additional spending, and the shrewd traveler knows howto minimize this extra expenditure. An excellent way to save money, saysCarlotta Luis, is to decide upon a limited number of activities on your trip.If planning more than one or two activities, Carlotta Luis suggests that if it’spossible, travelers should try to join in with group activities, like scubadiving lessons or a group tour. Group tours and activities includetransportation to and from the fun, adds Carlotta Luis, as well as a lower costto participate.

Carlotta Luis also points out that most expenses related to travelcost more for a single traveler. Buying bulk travel is often cheaper, notesCarlotta Luis, just as in other areas of the marketplace. In other words,having a “travel buddy” will often qualify you for cheaper lodging or fares,explains Carlotta Luis. At many Caribbean resorts and island cruises, thesingle occupancy rate is often higher per person than the double or groupoccupancy rate. These are just a few of Carlotta Luis’ tips and techniques onkeeping travel to the Caribbean, US Virgin Islands and beyond fun andaffordable. If you are planning vacation travel, contact Carlotta Luis at (305)741-2013 and take advantage of her travel expertise.

About Carlotta Luis

When Carlotta Luis was completing her education she had not yet set her sights towards being a travel industry professional. For Carlotta Luis, graduating was the goal. Her life, it turns out, has become more than she could have imagined.

As Carlotta Luis began moving into the work place she began to slowly define a career direction. For Carlotta Luis, this would eventually carry her to an enviable position. People now refer to her as a travel industry professional, a savvy market research resource, a skilled employee trainer and voice for innovative change. These are not titles that Carlotta Luis had originally seen herself owning.

Initial humanitarian interests took Carlotta Luis first to St. Damien Pediatric Hospital in Haiti. St. Damien’s Hospital had 120 beds, including an 18 bed emergency unit, 10 bed pediatric intensive care unit and a 9 bed cancer center. The hospital was staffed with 18 pediatricians, 50 nurses and 60 certified nursing assistants, as well as 8 lab technicians. This was Carlotta Luis’ introduction into the health care and medical communities.

According to Carlotta Luis, more than half of all the hospital’s patients were admitted for an infectious disease such as tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV while twenty-five percent were admitted for non-infectious diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and kidney infection. Most patients admitted were also malnourished. This experience and the exposure to a very different life fueled what would become a passion for Carlotta Luis – an interest in different cultures. This interest continued to develop and Carlotta Luis began to sense a focus on the Caribbean countries.

Fast forwarding to the present, Carlotta Luis’ career track now places her as a sales professional promoting the U.S. Virgin Islands throughout the southeastern regions of the United States. She is employed by the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and resides in south Florida. Carlotta Luis serves as a board member of the Caribbean Tourism Organization through its South Florida Chapter. She pursues excellence in her vocation, passion for her profession and vision for tourism throughout the Caribbean basin. These days, Carlotta Luis embraces the age old wisdom given by many in her line of work: Don’t worry, be happy!

Travel

Travel Tips from Bruce Bommarito | Keeping a Smile on Your Face at the Airport

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Bruce Bommarito is an authority on travel because he has traveled extensively himself. Bruce Bommarito has also held posts in local and national government as tourism director. Here Bruce Bommarito shares some of his extensive professional experience in the travel industry. He outlines a few basic tips that make modern day air travel a whole lot smoother.

Bruce Bommarito reminds travelers making it through airport security is just the beginning. When using an airport, whether passing through security, boarding or disembarking at the destination, it is essential to maintain a calm and attentive attitude. Bruce Bommarito says that the old saying, “Attitude is everything,” holds true in airports, too.

Follow the instructions given by airport and airline employees, recommends Bruce Bommarito, both off the plane and on. If a traveler refuses to cooperate with airline personnel, explains Bruce Bommarito, that person will undue attention to him or herself. In this age of terrorist scares, security staff is constantly looking for anyone who may be a threat to safety. Though you know you are not a threat, the security guards do not know that.

For example, says Bruce Bommarito, if a traveler refuses to stay in their seat on the plane, or if they argue vehemently with airline staff, security personnel will deal with that traveler as a terror suspect. Bruce Bommarito knows this sounds extreme and even a little bit ridiculous, but it is a by product of the social climate we live in since 9/11.

Bruce Bommarito adds that if airport security has their eye on a traveler, that traveler is most likely to be stopped for screening at some point in their travels, wasting even more of the traveler’s valuable time. Bruce Bommarito explains that once security staff marks a traveler as a potential security threat, it is difficult to return to normal in their eyes. The sooner travelers get used to this idea, notes Bruce Bommarito, the smoother their travels will go. One of the best ways to avoid these potential situations is to give yourself extra time at the airport and maintain a calm, pleasant attitude.