Interview with Birding Adventurer – James Currie By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert James Currie is the driving force behind Nikon Birding Adventures TV which focuses on destination and adventure bird-watching. He explores the best exotic birding destinations on the planet; the most unusual, rare and highly sought after bird species; amazing cultures and wildlife. He is the informative, passionate – and sometimes crazy! – host for BATV that portrays a unique blend of information and adventure, making bird-watching refreshing, contemporary, interesting and... Read More

Purposeful Lollygagging By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert Birding is the second fastest growing sport in America. Sixty-five million of us are rising at ungodly hours to steal through estuaries and woodlands hoping to spy the flash of a wing. Some of us spend fortunes enticing our avian friends to our back yards. Why? (1) Birding is an opportunity for purposeful lollygagging. We must go slowly to catch a glimpse of the vast variety of birds that share the planet with us. A stroll through dew-laden meadows can garner sightings of warblers, finches, bluebirds, and meadow... Read More

Destination: Deep Time By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert Thirteen strangers piled into the waiting raft at Lee’s Ferry on the Colorado River. It would be our transportation for the next eight days. Adam, our guide, greeted us with his eight-month-old son on his hip. Three generations of river guiding make his family as much a part of the river as the canyon wren, the pink rattler that has taken on the rosy hues of the sandstone walls, and the aloe—sustenance to the Native Americans who have called the Grand Canyon home for 10,000 years. A wren’s lilt echoed through the... Read More

Marty Mathis, of Grand Canyon Expeditions, Welcomes You to Where the Grand Canyon Lives And Explains Why It\’s Best Seen by Water By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert The charms of the Grand Canyon have captured the imagination of those lucky enough to experience them ever since Powell did the first recorded run down the Colorado in 1869. Marty Mathis, Vice President of Grand Canyon Expeditions, is one of those people so taken by the magic of the canyon he has made sharing the canyon his life’s work. In my previous article “Not All Outfitters are Created Equal” I... Read More

Not All Outfitters are Created Equal By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert The story“Falling in the Footsteps of John Muir” in my book Lost Angel Walkabout, describes the scariest situation I’ve experienced in my travels. I tripped and fell upon a splintered log that broke two ribs. This would not have been so horrific, but I was in the heart of the High Sierras at about 10,000 feet surrounded by even taller granite spires that blocked cell phone transmissions. The total medical arsenal of my guides consisted of one sleeping tablet. I was told the assessment of my medical... Read More

Get Ready for Good Times –Part II By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert In the first half of this piece I talked about preparing your body for adventure. Now, I will share a few tips about developing a mindset that will allow you enjoy your journey more. (1) Remember who you are. Don’t forget that even though you may wear the same jean size as your guide, they are used to the climate, and the pace of the activity. You are calling muscles into action that you haven’t talked to for a long time or maybe have never previously met before. Pace yourself. Don’t be competitive... Read More

Get Ready for Good Times-Part I By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert Soft adventure is the fastest growing segment of the travel industry.  People want to get outdoors, breathe fresh air and rid themselves of city stress.  But, do they have the stamina, and energy to withstand the rigors of sleeping in a tent, paddling a kayak, or hiking all day? Outfitters are fond of saying that anyone can enjoy outdoor adventure holidays that include horseback riding, hiking, river rafting, kayaking and birding. I think this is true with the caveat that you prepare yourself for your adventure. Since... Read More

Fifty, an age blessed with knowledge, but burdened with the collection of good and bad experiences, is simultaneously a powerful, yet fragile age. Some accumulated trauma goes so deep it is a part of our physiology, affecting what we do and how we feel. The fast darting of cars can rekindle the horror of a forgotten automobile accident, triggering adrenaline that settles into muscle tissue as harmful lactic acid. The memory of experience is in our bodies, as well as our minds. A genuine Mid-Life Rehabilitation helps eliminate negative physic influences and enables us to enjoy healthier and happier... Read More

I have a strong connection with nature and I write to bring awareness to ecological problems about the globe. The current BP (British Petroleum) oil spill in the Gulf is the worst environmental travesty perpetrated by mankind in our lifetime. It horrifies me that BP knew they were taking risks that could allow this to happen and yet they did nothing to prevent it. Greed in the name of the almighty dollar caused this catastrophe. I am absolutely appalled, disgusted, dismayed, and downright mad about what is going on, or should I say what\’s not going on in the cleanup effort. Several groups... Read More