Maple Alps

vacation

Where Has Amanda Been?

BlogAmanda Walter | Maple Alps4 Comments

Since starting Maple Alps in 2015, this is the longest it has gone silent around here! Some of you have been asking where I’ve been and what’s been going on. Now that it’s my Summer Break again, I finally have the time and energy to get back to it. But first some updates.

When J and I moved to MD two years ago, it was a huge shift for both of us. We both started new jobs in different positions. My transition was personally quite difficult. I struggled to keep up with the work and expectations required of me, so the blog went on the back burner. On top of that, my work environment was less than ideal, which exhausted me even more.

Then COVID hit.

A difficult job became even harder, as I transitioned to online teaching. Graduate classes during the summer didn’t leave any time for a break, and in the Fall, I was launched back into the online and hybrid teaching sphere.

This past January, after complete burnout, I decided to finish out the school year, but that I would not return to the classroom the next fall. It was time for a sabbatical. I put my all into finishing the year strong (and on a good note) and took a few months off once the doors were closed for the summer.

So after some much-needed vacation time, I will be back to the blogging world and some new endeavors that you will most definitely be hearing about soon!

Even though I’m not 100% sure what I will be doing now, but one thing is for certain: the silence in my corner of the internet probably won’t be as quiet anymore. God has taught me a lot these past 2 years, and I’m looking forward to sharing some new things with you. I’m feeling my creative juices start to flow again, and I can’t wait to get back into doing the things I love with new energy!

xoxo

Amanda

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How to Rock and Enjoy Your Staycation

Lifestyle, TravelAmanda Walter | Maple AlpsComment

The pandemic has messed up a lot of travel plans across the world, and we have also been directly affected by that. With such a short window in the summer when both of us are free before I need to report back to school, there really was no way to go away for the vacation we had intended. 


I was still determined to have a fantastic summer. The problem was that we needed to have the feeling of actually getting away. Being cooped up in our home for months was difficult especially for J, since I’m a happy homebody. We realize these are totally first world problems, but with everything going on in the last few months, we had really been looking forward to getting away.


Staycation-ing was the only way for us to do things this summer, but it has been pretty good so far. I had a few questions about how we are accomplishing this, so I thought a short blog post on the topic could be fun!


A staycation is a great option when travel is not possible. Maybe you need to save some money, or maybe there is a pandemic and you can’t do any overseas travel. In any case, here are some ideas for your staycation that don’t involve chores. This list is not exhaustive, but I hope that it will trigger some ideas!

How to Rock and Enjoy Your Staycation | www.maplealps.com


Staying Inside:

  1. Settle down with a good book

  2. Or write a book

  3. Light some candles

  4. Have a spa day

  5. Try a new workout

  6. Try a new recipe

  7. Hire an in-home chef

  8. Board Game night

  9. Karaoke night

  10. Plan a zero plan day

  11. Try a new type of art

  12. Do a mat workout outside - or any workout outside!

  13. Have a movie marathon

  14. Finish a house project, if that’s fun to you

  15. Eat breakfast in bed

  16. Eat breakfast outside

  17. Sleep in and then take a nap

  18. Create a staycation playlist

  19. Bring your vacation theme home (Luau in the backyard? Mountains of laundry to climb?)

  20. Take up a new hobby

  21. BBQ everything

  22. Rent an inflatable slide!

  23. Truly unplug from work!

  24. Create a blanket fort in your living room - or any room

  25. Learn an instrument or practice one


Spending Time Outside:

  1. Visit the closest beach. It could be the ocean, it could be the lake. Just pack your towels, some sunscreen, and spend some time by the water. 

  2. Go for a hike or long walk

  3. Explore a new trail

  4. Go for a picnic

  5. Fly a kite

  6. Go canoeing or kayaking or paddleboarding

  7. Do some gardening

  8. Sidewalk chalk it up

  9. Build a treehouse

  10. Inflatable pool?


Staying Near Home:

  1. Go out for ice cream after dinner and walk around

  2. Explore a new neighborhood

  3. Explore something new in your city

  4. Use this anywhere travel guide

  5. Pitch a tent in your backyard 

  6. Try a new restaurant 

  7. Go on a drive

  8. Rent a convertible for the day

  9. Find a friend with a pool and jump in

  10. Check into a hotel in your city

  11. Find a fun AirBNB close by

  12. Explore a state or national park

  13. Find day trips from your city

  14. Rent bikes downtown

  15. Go to a tourist attraction in your area

  16. Do some museum hopping

  17. Get a photoshoot done - or do one yourself

  18. Set up an outdoor movie theatre



What would you do to staycation? Let me know!


 

5 Ways to Make the Most out of your Road Trip

TravelAmanda Walter | Maple Alps3 Comments

We. Love. Road trips. We don’t go on them as often as we used to, but there’s nothing like packing up the car and hopping in for a grand adventure. I think my favorite thing about it is the control you have over your trip. You can stop when you want for as long as you want which is a freedom not enjoyed when on a plane, train, or bus. Plus, you don’t have to worry about any other person besides you and your travel buddy or buddies. No stressing about why the guy over there is coughing…although, I’m usually seated next to them. Yikes! SO how can you make the most out of your road trip? We have 5 ideas.

5 Ways to Make the Most out of your Road Trip | www.maplealps.com


Use your time productively


Learn something while driving! We love listening to audiobooks or podcasts during our trips. It gives us something to think about and to discuss! One can almost never run out of topics this way if traveling with someone else. If you’re traveling with family or friends who aren’t terribly into your audiobooks or podcasts, why not have a good set of questions to discuss and get closer while you’re at it? If you’re already close friends/relatives, you won’t likely need to prepare ahead of time, but do take advantage of the time you’re trapped in the speeding metal on wheels to chat! By the way, a good playlist is a definite must!



Use this anywhere travel guide for a fun spin


I bought this travel guide for Jonathan a few years ago and it is filled with some really fun activities to do anywhere you are. We keep it in the glove compartment of our car so that we can spontaneously have a great time exploring - it’s even great when you want to explore the city you live in as well!



Don’t let your schedule keep you from being a bit spontaneous…


See a pretty field and want to stop? Do it! See the perfect overlook? Stop! Shoot some photos or just dwell in the moment and then move on. Don’t let your schedule keep you from experiencing the wonders of nature you could see on your trip!


…But Research Ahead of Time


You never know what kind of quirky sites there might be on your way! Do some research on your intended route and plan in some extra time if needed to see some points of interest like restaurants, museums, and parks (just to name a few).



Road Trip Games


We were on to something when we played I-Spy and Truth or Dare as kids in the car. Would You Rather is another fantastic one that leads to great conversations. I came across a book of 3,000 WYR questions the other day that I was very tempted to purchase! We’ve had some fun discussions with that game.




How do you make the most of your road trips?


 

Mama Mia! & A Private Beach

TravelAmanda Walter | Maple Alps9 Comments

The first year I studied abroad, I was able to spend some time in Denmark with family friends of ours. It was a fantastic experience, except for when I wanted to watch television, I couldn't understand a thing. One day, after exploring the city, I was flipping through the channels trying to find something to watch. Suddenly, I heard familiar words - Mama Mia! was on in German. Despite not loving the movie, I was bored and I watched the whole thing, just happy to have something on with words I understood. This last summer, some friends of ours took us to where some scenes from the movie were shot, and it was really spectacular to see- not just because it was filmed there, but because it was so beautiful!

mama Mia! | www.maplealps.com
mama mia and a private beach | www.maplealps.com
mama mia and a private beach | www.maplealps.com
mama mia and a private beach | www.maplealps.com
mama mia | www.maplealps.com
mama mia | www.maplealps.com

Seeing it almost made me want to watch the movie again, but I haven't seen it since 2010, and I think I'll keep it that way. There were definitely fewer people there than I had expected.

After we were finished at the chapel, we drove and hiked a bit and found a private beach to lay at for the day. Not one soul showed up the entire afternoon and the [long] nap I had and the warm water was glorious. 

mama mia | www.maplealps.com
mama mia and a private beach | www.maplealps.com

Somehow, picnic lunches taste better and naps are sweeter with views like these.