Some of the flowers at Blue River Resort. Linda Ballou photo. By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Bowers of luxuriant tropical flowers grace the well-tended grounds of the Blue River Resort and Hot Springs. Magenta spikes of torch ginger, mounds of yellow hibiscus, and many varieties of dripping orange heliconia brighten the scene. Meandering […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Linda and fellow adventurers, Laura, Patricia and Pelar enjoy rafting Sarapique River Linda, Laura, Patricia and Pelar After enduring hours of cramped airplanes, air-conditioned hotels, and buses, being immersed in nature once again finally settled my molecules into place. My tired body came alive as we rocked and […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Writer Since Covid hit our shores, travel insurance has become more important than ever. While it is true flight delays have lessened, flights are still a huge variable when you travel. Travel delays, as well as trip interruptions and cancellations, are not just frustrating and inevitable, they can be […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Mobility issues are a problem for many Boomers. I am no exception, so I have investigated ways of ensuring that I don’t take a fall that puts me out of commission. If you, like me, find you need to be in nature and feel the cooling breeze caressing […]
Journeys change us. In this captivating collection of tales, Linda shares how her lust for adventure was spawned early in the wilds of southeast Alaska. As we follow her in the footprints of such legendary trailblazers as Jack London and Isabella Bird, we come to understand why being in nature is the cornerstone of her […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Hanalei Bay today. Linda Ballou photo When I lived on the North Shore in 1978, there was not one home on the shore of horseshoe-shaped Hanalei Bay. The notorious Taylor Camp treehouse colony, populated by hippies living off the land, was in full swing. The now famous Tahiti […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Po‘ipū Cost Walk. Linda Ballou photo. Po‘ipū is the favored spot by visitors to the Island because it guarantees full blown sunny beach days. In 1978 Po‘ipū Beach was a deep azure plunge where I floated in ecstasy. But in 1992 Hurricane Iniki carved out a new coastline. […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate As a young woman, I had dropped out of society and landed on the North Shore of Kaua‘i. It was a head-spinning transformative time in my life. There, I was introduced to people experimenting with alternate lifestyles and those leading highly creative lives. After a year of Island […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Linda’s shot of a couple of happy, young locals, or Ticos, as the Costa Rican natives call themselves. Costa Rica, the poster child of eco-tourism, has so many fun, outdoor adventures options it’s hard to choose. Twenty-five percent of the country is preserved habitat to ensure the continuation […]
Title: Lost Angel Unleashed: Stories from the Heart (Lost Angel Travel Series: Book Three) Author Linda Ballou Reviewed for the NABBW by Anne Holmes Books in Linda Ballou’s Lost Angel Series Lost Angel Unleashed is the third in Linda Ballou’s Lost Angel Travel Series. The first two are Lost Angel Walkabout: One Traveler’s Tales and Lost […]