Making Tracks with New England Hiking Holidays By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Several years I ago I hiked in the White Mountains with New England Hiking Holidays. In my article “Peak Experience,” I detail what an exquisite experience it was to hike in the buttery glow of the autumn sun beneath a canopy of tangelo leaves. Graham, our lead trip guide, told me that the Columbia River Gorge hike was his favorite offering of NEHH because of the dramatic cluster of waterfalls, scent of pine-sheathed mountains, and meadows choked with wildflowers. This image never left... Read More

Solutions for Solo Travelers by Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate   Boomer women make up the largest segment of the travel population. Freed from the ties of family responsibilities, and with a little extra money in their jeans, they want to explore. Often they have husbands who are not interested in travel, or they can’t round up a friend who shares their wanderlust. Yet, this segment of the population often feels intimated by the idea of traveling alone. Women worry about their safety for good reasons. What is more, society penalizes the solo traveler with the dreaded... Read More

Plug into Nature’s Bounty at Sacha Lodge in Ecuador’s Amazon Basin by Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate   Like Jack on the beanstalk, we climbed up a giant wooden stairwell wrapping the kapok tree. A drenching rain set in before we reached a viewing platform above the protective canopy. We stood atop what must be the 9th wonder of the world with our heads tucked into the hoods of our ponchos waiting for the weather to change. Soon, blue skies opened over the platinum Napo River.   Pink flamingo hues softened gray layers of clouds. Shafts of light streamed down upon the... Read More

Saddle Up in Ecuador by Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate   What prompts a young Brit ensconced in the Parisian perfume industry to flee the continent in quest of creating the ultimate South American riding experience? That was the first of several burning questions I had for Sally Vergette, owner of RIDE ANDES, before joining her in Ecuador this September. I’m looking forward to romps through pastures in the shadow of snow-crowned volcanoes with other experienced riders on Sally’s fit and well-mannered mounts. Each day’s ride ends at a wonderful colonial estate like... Read More

Winging It on the Central Coast By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert   Morro Bay is a sweet coastal town, situated nicely between spectacular hiking and birding opportunities. To the south, Montana De Oro (mountain of gold), at 8,000 acres, is one of the largest parks in the state and one of its best-kept secrets. Fifty miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails wind through wooded canyons and along hidden coves. To the north rugged, untamed coastline given to the state by the giant Hearst Corporation remains a remnant of the natural splendor that greeted early explorers... Read More

Kick Back on the Kauri Coast of New Zealand   By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert   My heart pounded as loud as my mare’s hoof beats on the hard-packed sand as I paced myself to the gait of my leader and occasioned a glance over my shoulder at the sea. The immense surf, cresting in ten-foot faces rolling in fast, met the sand in a crashing fury. Under an intense blue sky the turquoise curls played a thunderous symphony.  I’d discovered the Kauri Coast on the North Island of New Zealand.  On the less-visited beaches stretching from the Hibiscus Coast to Breams Head Scenic... Read More

A Cruise I Couldn’t Refuse By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert Doing nothing is perfectly acceptable on the 150-foot Safari Explorer luxury motor yacht. You don’t have to jump up for whale sightings or watch bottlenose dolphin ride the bow wave. You can sit on the upper sundeck wrapped in Sky Father’s blue dome cooled by the sea breeze and enjoy your favorite book. Peering into the cobalt blue depths at the amazing adaptations of creatures living in the coral reefs is not mandatory. You certainly don’t have to partake in all the wonderful gastronomic delights placed... Read More

Tiritiri Mitangi – Birding Adventure Down Under By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert December is a great time to explore the other land down under. The North Island of New Zealand is easy to get around and much less pricey than neighboring Australia. Kiwis take pride in making guests feel welcome and love to share their miles of hiking trails and un-trammeled shores. Tremendous efforts on the part of New Zealanders to preserve forests and the unique birds that call them home are especially evident on the tiny isle of Tiritiri Mitangi. Spray splashed over the bow of our... Read More

Last Chance for Romance in the West By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert Aspen leaves spinning in a stout wind rattled like castanets. I found shelter beneath the spreading arms of an ancient spruce from the intense sun on a ledge overlooking the Platte River Valley. The ceaseless chatter of the river on its merry way to Denver kept me company. Below, nestled in the cleft of the blue mountains sheathed in Ponderosa pine, North Fork Ranch rests hidden from the modern world. People come here from around the globe to breathe the crystalline air, fish in the clear waters, and let... Read More

North Fork Ranch Interview By Linda Ballou NABBW’s Adventure Travel Expert Guest ranches have provided a means for city folks to air out their spirits since the turn of the century, but today they are multi-sport adventures, leaping generation gaps and crossing cultural barriers in a single bound. Selected as one of the top fifty Guest Ranches in the world, North Fork Ranch sets the bar for the other ranches in Colorado. I asked owners, Karen and Dean May, what makes their ranch so special? KM: We are family owned and operated. We raised our family here and love sharing our beautiful... Read More