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Linda Ballou Freelance Writer

Top Senior Adventures Blog Linda's mission is to experience as many beautiful places on our planet as she can before they are no more. Travel tales relating her experiences while kayaking, horseback riding, sailing, birding and hiking about the globe have appeared in numerous national magazines. She had great fun collecting travel stories, and profiles of people she met in “naturally high places” for her book, Lost Angel Walkabout-One Traveler’s Tales. Her latest book Lost Angel Unleashed is the third book in her Lost Angel Trilogy

Go to LostAngelAdventures.com for more adventures.

For more about Linda’s novels and media offerings go to. www.LindaBallouAuthor.com

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Do You Really Need Travel Insurance? Adventure Travel Writer Linda Ballou Shares Her Experiences and Advice

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 …By Linda Ballou, NAB…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 life altering. Which means that choosing to have travel insurance could not only protect your budget should you have to rebook at the last possible minute due to flight cancellations, but can also be lifesaving, should you have a health emergency outs…

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Linda Ballou Shares Her Best Tips for Enjoying a Successful Walking Holiday – And Why She Calls Them a “Boomer Balancing Act”

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…By Linda Ballou, NAB…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 your skin while you walk, take heart. Don’t let a mobility issue stop you from doing what you need to feel happy and content. I had to acknowledge that I can’t do what I used to do in the same way. I would like to share some of the things that will help you keep moving, and in shape…

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Linda Ballou Recommends You Take a Walk on Kaua’i’s Wild Side

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate 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 treehou…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate 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 Nui featured in the film The Descendants was a hole in the wall. I could hike the Kalalau Trail, tracing the rugged Nāpali Coast up to the roaring Hanakapi'ai Falls, and take a dip in the pool below, without seeing another soul. I never made it to the site of the sacred Hawaiian village at the end of the…

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Linda Ballou Visits Po‘ipū and is Sunny Side UP on Kaua‘i

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate  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…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate  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. Today the crescent shaped white sand beach is still a favorite of sun worshippers, but the water is shallow with a bottom littered with coral rocks. It is popular with snorkelers and small children but is no longer the best swimming beach on the South Shore. Numerous resorts and condo complexes now l…

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Linda Ballou Shares Her Adventures on the Coconut Coast of Kaua’i

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. …By Linda Ballou, NAB…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 life, I was brimming with good health and ready to face the future. Now, 45 years on, I yearned to return to the nurturing clime to know how both the Island and I have changed. Kaua'i is lush with foliage, resplendent with waterfalls, and isolated by tumult…

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Linda Ballou Shares Highlights, Photos of Her Recent Adventure to Costa Rica – Land of Divine Diversity

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate 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 coun…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate 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 of the unique flora and fauna found in species-rich forests.  Multiple changes in altitude and temperature create many micro-climates that are responsible for Costa Rica’s diversity. Extending and gracious people, Ticos, as locals call themselves, offer guided outdoor adventures throughout their emerald-green country. Rafting the Class …

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Linda Ballou Shares Some of Her Favorite Santa Barbara Stops

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Readers, I am working on a new book, which is very close to publication, to be called Lost Angel Unleashed: Stories From the Heart, as well as my L…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Readers, I am working on a new book, which is very close to publication, to be called Lost Angel Unleashed: Stories From the Heart, as well as my Lost Angel Adventure Series. Today I'd like to share some of my very favorite places to visit in one of my favorite cities, Santa Barbara. I hope you will enjoy my list and will consider visiting this charming city soon. Please check out the links for more information... State Street Promenade -- A Taste of Europe The heart of Downtown Santa Barbara’s entertainment and retail district has tr…

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Linda Ballou Reports On Travel Trends for 2023: Leisure Travel is Back!

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate I've just returned from the Adventure Travel Show, and am delighted to report that the travel industry is roaring back with a vengeance.  …By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate I've just returned from the Adventure Travel Show, and am delighted to report that the travel industry is roaring back with a vengeance.  Airlines are ramping up flights, training and hiring pilots, and upgrading infrastructure to keep up with the demand. Twenty-five new ships for leisure travelers will set sail this year. But, with this frenzy to meet the pent-up demand for travel experiences comes higher prices and over-burdened service workers. How do we best navigate the age of disruption? Here are a few of my best tips. Buy …

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The BBC Comes to the Colorado Rockies to Film ‘Trailblazers’ — And Linda Ballou is ‘Saddled Up’ as Their Isabella Bird Expert

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Isabella Bird was a Victorian-age explorer whose time has come again! The best-loved travel writer of her day wrote effusively about he…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Isabella Bird was a Victorian-age explorer whose time has come again! The best-loved travel writer of her day wrote effusively about her travels in Estes Park in A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains. Three books about her were published in 2021, including my historical novel Embrace of the Wild. In April I was honored to be selected as the “Isabella Bird Expert” for the upcoming BBC documentary “Trailblazers,” a series spotlighting heroic women that have fallen through the cracks of time. I joined the film c…

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Linda Ballou Experiences the Beauty of “Falldorado” in the Front Range with Isabella Bird

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Just 34 miles up sweeping I 70 from Denver lies Evergreen, a popular stop for folks wanting to breathe deeply of crisp, pine-scented air.  For…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Just 34 miles up sweeping I 70 from Denver lies Evergreen, a popular stop for folks wanting to breathe deeply of crisp, pine-scented air.  Forward-thinking Denver elders forged out huge open spaces for hikers and bikers in this area. A myriad of trail networks lace the hills surrounding the rustic mountain town. I hiked in Dedisse Park on an undulating trail through a forest overlooking the Evergreen Lake. Expect to meet mountain bikers and other hikers on the trails. Evergreen is a hub of outdoor fun and connecting highways to the in…

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Linda Ballou Shares Her Interview on the Rocky Mountain Channel – And Eye Candy for Nature Lovers

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate I love this interview with Brett Wilson at The Rocky Mountain Channel podcast. I felt relaxed and welcome. He wanted to know what prompted me to f…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate I love this interview with Brett Wilson at The Rocky Mountain Channel podcast. I felt relaxed and welcome. He wanted to know what prompted me to follow in the hoofprints of the indomitable Isabella Bird from pristine Hawai’i to untamed Colorado in 1873. We talked about how Isabella and Rocky Mountain Jim were two seriously damaged people who found their salvation in nature. Isabella describes their legendary romance and the ethereal beauty of the region in her book A Lady’s Life in the Rockies. Her vivid descriptions of the regi…

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The Rocky Mountains Are Calling Linda Ballou, Here’s Where You Can See Her Speak During Her September Majestic Mountain Tour

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Isabella Lucy Bird was a Victorian Age adventurer who endured tremendous hardships in her explorations of the Rockies in 1873. She became the…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Isabella Lucy Bird was a Victorian Age adventurer who endured tremendous hardships in her explorations of the Rockies in 1873. She became the best-loved travel writer of her time, and was the first woman inducted into the Scottish Royal Geographical Society. In my book Embrace of the Wild, I share Bird’s most transformative journeys. A fierce spirit trapped in a frail body, Isabella rode through raging waters on the Hamakua Coast, up the flank of a volcano, and into the Waipio Valley in Hawai’i. Her exploratory adventures began a…

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Heading to Hawai’i? Linda Ballou Shares How to Do Maui’s Hana Highway Her Way

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Each day, thousands traverse the narrow road that hugs the coast of Southeast Maui to the village of Hana, one of last remnants of old Hawai’i. …By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Each day, thousands traverse the narrow road that hugs the coast of Southeast Maui to the village of Hana, one of last remnants of old Hawai’i. It is a miracle that the over fifty one-lane bridges, many of which are over a hundred years old, don’t collapse beneath the steady stream of cars. Drivers are rubber necking to see the most beautiful waterfall, and angling to find a pullout near unmarked trailheads to take a closer look. Still, chaos can be avoided and you can enjoy a tranquil, romantic journey into this lush, unspoiled …

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With Another Summer Upon Us, Linda Ballou Shares Stories of Rivers She Has Known and Loved

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate As temperatures begin to soar, I dream of the rivers I have known and loved. Tension mounts as I hear the rumble of rapids roiling ahead. Sit…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate As temperatures begin to soar, I dream of the rivers I have known and loved. Tension mounts as I hear the rumble of rapids roiling ahead. Sitting up straight, tucking a foot beneath the pontoon of the rubber raft, taking a secure position for the white water to come, I listen for commands. “Paddles ready!” calls the guide and then we are bouncing through rapids with cooling waves splashing overhead. Squeals of excitement fill the air as we paddle for all we are worth through the foaming rush. Next we settle back to a smooth glid…

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Buena Ventura- Land of Good Fortune

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Ventura is a beach town with a laid-back vibe that is the gateway to some great adventures. About an hour north of Los Angeles spectacular da…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Ventura is a beach town with a laid-back vibe that is the gateway to some great adventures. About an hour north of Los Angeles spectacular day trips in the Channel Islands National Park are waiting for you.  Turn up at the Island Packer dock in Ventura Harbor at about 9 AM with a lunch in your backpack and leave your worries behind. After an hour-long cruise across the channel, passengers are dropped off at Scorpion Anchorage and admonished to be back by 4 PM, or plan on spending the night on the island. Some choose to do exactly t…

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As the World Struggles It’s Way Into the New Normal, Here Are Linda Ballou’s Travel Tips for 2022

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate The only thing certain about travel in 2022 is that it is uncertain. People are chomping at the bit to travel again but need to remain flexib…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate The only thing certain about travel in 2022 is that it is uncertain. People are chomping at the bit to travel again but need to remain flexible. Flight schedules are still in a state of flux, car rentals are at historical highs, and Covid-19 guidelines in various countries are changing by the hour. Travel expert, Peter Greenberg, suggests that you contact your travel agent, or better yet, the concierge at a hotel in the area you are planning to visit, to get up-to-date information about Covid-19 requirements. Even the World Health O…

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Linda Ballou Shares Why Winter Is A Perfect Time to Enjoy a “Wild Time” on the Central Coast of California

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Winter on the Central Coasts means fewer tourists and plentiful wildlife. Birds and marine mammals gather there in chaotic profusion from December …By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate Winter on the Central Coasts means fewer tourists and plentiful wildlife. Birds and marine mammals gather there in chaotic profusion from December to February. Every year, hundreds of birders flock to the sleepy fishing town of Morro Bay on California's Central Coast to take part in the Audubon Birding Fest. The Pacific's saltwater mixed with the freshwater of streams flowing in the largest estuary on the west coast resulting in a nutrient-rich brew for thousands of birds. The charm of the rust-colored, reed-choked estuary is subtle, bu…

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Road Trip!! Linda Ballou Says Now’s the Time to Cool Your Jets on the Southern Oregon Coast

By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate  Steaming temps in the inland valleys of Southern Oregon are sending smart travelers to the coast to cool off. The Redwood Hwy (199),  o…By Linda Ballou, NAB…By Linda Ballou, NABBW's Adventure Travel Associate  Steaming temps in the inland valleys of Southern Oregon are sending smart travelers to the coast to cool off. The Redwood Hwy (199),  out of Grants Pass is a snaking road that takes you to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the northern most redwood forest in California. It traces the rugged Smith River Corridor sheathed in towering sugar pines and deposits you in Hiouchi. Hot Tip #1: If you can snag a room at the budget Hiouchi Motel, next to the Hiouchi Café you will be in perfect position to explore the ancient redwood grov…

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