Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts

5.27.2026

My forever water bottle

We’re preparing to serve with OM Ships again this year and it reminded me of sometime back in 2008 when we were volunteering to go overseas with this ministry the first time. We were newly married, graduating university, wrapping things up in Florence, SC and packing what we thought we needed for a couple years of full-time travel.

We didn’t have much, living on love and rarely had money for anything extra other than food, gas and bills. So, I was shocked when Nick came home one day with a little brown paper bag from Naturally Outdoors. I excitedly opened it and found my very first reusable water bottle…a Klean Kanteen. Up until that day, I only remember drinking out of plastic bottles that were supposed to be used once and thrown away. Sounds crazy in today’s world where everyone is carrying water bottles everywhere they go. But back then, my friends and I would buy a Gatorade at the grocery store and use the bottle until it disintegrated or a boy in our class broke it.

Our Klean Kanteen in Aruba 2009

Nick was immediately jealous of the gift he bought me and got himself a matching stainless steel water bottle the very next day. Since the day I got my Klean Kanteen, I’ve gone through many water bottles that have been gifted to me. But, none have lasted. I use them until they break or get lost. But guess what water bottle I still have? My Kleen Kanteen and it’s going with me, yet again, to serve overseas as I volunteer on the Logos Hope. It’s survived, not just sitting safely in the back of the cabinet, but extensively traveling the world with me for over 18 years.

Our Klean Kanteen in Grand Canyon 2012

And because I’m actually so impressed myself, I wanted to put down in writing all the places my Klean Kanteen has been by my side: Trinidad, Tobago, St Lucia, Curaçao, Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana, several road trips to Texas, the Faroe Islands, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Denmark, New York City, Scotland, a one-month USA road trip visiting 21 states, camping in the Grand Canyon and the Redwoods, Yellowstone, the Color Run and the Color Vibe races, an Atlanta Braves game, climbed Table Rock in SC and Pinnacle Mountain in AR, been to Shoot the Hooch in Atlanta, camped in the Lavender Farms in Mona Utah, spent three months in Bolivia (South America), kayaked in Murrell’s Inlet, cruised the Caribbean many times over, hiked all over Hawaii, attempted a Triathlon, roadtripped all the way from the Everglades to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to the Chicago Bean and Niagara Falls to the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter and Mount Rushmore, hiked to the Lake Louise Tea House in Banff, visited the Rose Test Garden in Portland, cruised through Alaska twice, white water rafting in Spokane, camping in Okracoke, touring Colonial Williamsburg, hiking Gettysburg, Animal Kingdom and Epcot, Biltmore again and again, Cabbage Patch Kids Hospital, Dominican Republic several times and all-inclusives in Cancun over and over and over, Dollywood, London, Clearwater, Miami, Nashville, Savannah, West Palm Beach, Key West, Naples, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Columbia, Buckhead, Boston, Orlando, Charleston, Panama City, Chapel Hill, New Jersey, Asheville, Atlanta, playgrounds everywhere, horseback riding, paddle-boarding, boating, a million play dates and 9,482 other places I can’t even recall and recently got “decorated” by my daughter with stickers that apparently don’t come off.

Our Klean Kanteen in Hilton Head 2021

If I’ve been there, where ever there is, so has my Klean Kanteen. And it’s not a fluke because it’s not just mine that’s lasted, but also Nick’s. Both have seen the world with us and both have no signs of it being close to the end of their life. So, as we pack up yet again, for another long-term adventure, our two Klean Kanteens are on the packing list, just like always.

Our Klean Kanteen in Dominican Republic 2023

It just so happens that Ivy, our 5-year-old, is obsessed with water bottles, is often gifted them because she always loves a new one and is always is hoping to shop for just one more. It’s such a thing with her that we tease that maybe she’ll grow up to one day start her own water bottle company because she’s such a connoisseur. Although she’s owned more water bottles than I can even count, she’s never had her own Klean Kanteen. I know it’s silly, but I wonder which water bottle she’ll finally land on that’ll follow her adventures into her 20s and beyond. Her forever water


Our Klean Kanteen in Banff 2018

3.16.2026

We're SERVING onboard the LOGOS HOPE starting this AUGUST!

We're returning to the Logos Hope in a few months...in Europe!


If you didn't know, this past January we served onboard the Logos Hope for 1 month as a vision trip. Click HERE to read more about how that trip came together. We enjoyed our time onboard so much that we asked for permission to return to the ship.

So, we're excited to share that we'll be serving onboard the Logos Hope again this August-January, spending those five months in the Faroe Islands, Wales, Northern Ireland, England and the rest of the countries and ports TBD!


Nick will be working in Project Maintenance (think construction). Nick will pause his construction projects in Greenville, SC during our time onboard so that he can offer his gifts and talents to this ministry that we believe in. The ship is aging and in need of upkeep and repairs, so Nick's job onboard will help us keep the World's Largest Floating Bookfair open!



In each port it visits, the ship opens it’s bookfair for hundreds to thousands of visitors each day, offering over 5,000+ titles at discounted prices, including Bibles, resulting in many people buying quality literature for the first time in their lives! The ship also offers practical help like dental and construction teams and partners with local churches, according to the needs of each port. But most importantly, the ship offers hope to each person who comes aboard because they are given the chance to learn about God’s love for them. Click HERE for a 60 second clip about the Logos Hope.



The Logos Hope is the world’s largest floating bookfair, but I like to explain it’s like a floating city. Just like in a city, there are engineers, electricians, plumbers, nurses, teachers (like me), cooks, bakers, a finance department, event planners, maintenance team (like Nick), kids (like Ivy) and many others. It’s a great way to combine a career you enjoy with a calling from God. Right now there are roughly 264 volunteers from over 60 countries serving onboard as unpaid volunteers! We are excited to join and serve in a meaningful way as we use our strengths where there is a need.


Nick, Ivy and I will be in a family cabin. It’s basically 3 rooms: Ivy’s bedroom, a bathroom and a family room with a couch that converts to a bed for Nick and me. It’s extremely tight, but living in a small cabin was actually one of my favorite memories of ship life. And to Ivy's excitement, we will eat all our meals in the Dining Room with everyone else. The ship life is really fun for extraverts, like Ivy!



And Ivy's favorite place onboard...the school! Onboard the Logos Hope, there is a school for all the kids that live onboard with their parents. Ivy loved visiting the boat and attending the school in January and can't wait to get back to her class and her friends in June. Because the school year runs differently, she'll graduate 5K here and go into 5K onboard, until in September when she enters 1st grade when the new term starts.



***We will be serving as unpaid volunteers, so to make this family missions trip possible, we’re raising $8,950 to cover our room and board, plus airfare and emergency medical insurance on top of that. We’d be so grateful if you’d consider partnering with us—through your prayers and, if you’re able, with a financial gift. Every gift, big or small, helps us!

👉 How to Give:

  • Check – Payable to OM USA and mailed to OM USA Finance Dept. PO Box 444 Tyrone, GA 30290.  Put “Nick and Emily Stewart - 2261134” in the Memo Line.


Please reach out and keep in touch...and let me know if you want to get our updates!

nickemily07@gmail.com

Nick (843) 245-4936

Emily (843) 618-1447




2.19.2026

How I've been traveling for (nearly) FREE since 2023!

I've earned 119 FREE NIGHTS since I began travel hacking in 2023. Some of my stays were simple like a night in downtown Greenville and some were top tier, all-inclusive, adults only stays like Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets.  Scroll to the bottom to learn how I do it!


Here's a breakdown of my FREE travel since I began:

Trinidad

2026 - 9 FREE nights total so far...and we have enough points to book our upcoming anniversary trip!

7 nights in Clearwater booked for March Spring Break!

2 nights in Miami

Flights to Trinidad

Cancun

2025 - 32 FREE nights!

7 nights in Cancun at Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets + flights

1 night in downtown Greenville

3 nights in Nashville

1 night in Savannah

1 night in West Palm Beach

3 nights in Key West

7 nights in Naples

1 night in Jacksonville

7 nights in London + flights

1 night in downtown Greenville

Flights to Dominican Republic

London

2024 - 57 FREE nights!

7 nights in Cancun at Impression Moxche by Secrets + flights

2 nights in Charlotte

1 night in Columbia

2 nights in Buckhead

2 nights in Boston + flights

1 night in Charlotte

1 night in Downtown Greenville

2 nights in Savannah

7 nights in Orlando

2 nights in Savannah

6 nights in Charleston

7 nights in Panama City

2 nights in New Jersey + flights

2 nights in Chapel Hill

3 nights in Key West

7 nights in Cancun at Hyatt Ziva + flights

1 night in Charleston

Flights to Dominican Republic


Dominican Republic

2023 - 21 FREE nights!

5 nights in Cancun at Zoetry + flights

2 nights in Charleston 

2 nights in Asheville

2 nights in Savannah

1 night in Charlotte

1 night in Columbia 

3 nights in Atlanta

5 nights in Clearwater

Our first FREE stay - Clearwater, FL

These 115 FREE nights + flights have a cash value at just under $36,000! I don't know about you, but I don't have that kind of money to spend on travel. So that's why I love travel hacking! One thing that everyone is worried about is credit score, but mine and Nick's have increased, and I've heard from others that their score has increased, so don't worry about that. If you're interested in getting started, here's how I did it...

I suggest you start with this personal credit card like I did. I love this one because you can transfer to Travel Partners like World of Hyatt and a handful of airlines.

Once you've hit the minimum spend with that personal card, stop using the card and move on to their business cards. This business credit card has an elevated offer right now of 100,000 rewards points! 

Even if you don't own a business, you can still probably get a business card. Have you sold something on Marketplace? Count that as your business! Think of some way you've earned cash, even a side hustle, and use that to your advantage to sign up for some amazing business cards.

Finally, download the Travel Freely app to keep track of your credit cards and points earned and the World of Hyatt app to dream and plan how to spend your points!

Have fun crossing off that Bucket List!



7.25.2024

HOW WE TRAVEL FOR (nearly) FREE!

     In the last 16 months, we've earned over $23,550 in free travel!

Let me tell you how...

In March 2023, I learned about Travel Hacking, applied for a recommended credit card and began putting all our spend on that one card, treating it like our debit cards and paying it off weekly so we don't accumulate debt. Between our personal expenses and our two businesses, Nick and I quickly hit the minimum spend and earned the sign-up bonus. Once we had done this with a few credit cards, we saved up enough rewards points to take our first paid-with-points trip. So we booked five nights in Clearwater, FL for July 2024!

Without Travel Hacking, we would not have been able to afford such a nice family vacation, so we were hooked and decided to keep using credit cards strategically to travel as often as possible.

Here is a breakdown of our free travel since July 2023:

5 nights with Nick and Ivy in Clearwater, FL

Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa

3 nights with my sister, Mary Ashley, outside of Atlanta, GA

1 night with my sister, Maggie, in Columbia, SC

1 night with my sister, Elizabeth, and our kids, in Charlotte, NC

2 nights with Nick and Ivy in Savannah, GA

2 nights with my friend, Emily, in Asheville, NC 

2 nights with same friend, Emily, in Charleston, SC

5 nights + flights in Cancun with Nick for our 16th wedding anniversary 

Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Cancun

7 nights + flights in Cancun with Nick and Ivy for Spring Break

2 nights with my friend, Emily, in Chapel Hill, NC 

3 nights + flights with my sister-in-laws in Key West 

1 night by myself in downtown Greenville, SC

3 nights + flights for family reunion in NJ

7 nights with Nick, Ivy and my parents in Panama City Beach, FL

6 nights with Ivy, my mom, 2 sisters and my nephew in Charleston, SC 

Hyatt Ziva Cancun

That's 50 FREE nights in hotels, resorts and all-inclusives in the last 12 months!

Also, many of those places, we also used points for flights and only had to cover taxes and fees from our own pockets!

Isn't that insane?

Plus, we've already booked another five nights in Cancun for our upcoming 17th wedding anniversary and seven nights to visit my cousin in London during Spring Break 2025, we have more points to spare as we try to decide what other travel we'd like to do in the near future and my credit score has increased!

Wild Dunes, Charleston, SC

If you're ready to save money, travel more and improve your credit score, I suggest you start with this personal credit card like I did. I love this one because you can transfer to Travel Partners like Hyatt and a handful of airlines.

Once you've hit the minimum spend with that personal card, I suggest you go through their business cards. This business credit card has an elevated offer right now of 120,000 rewards points!

Even if you don't own a business, you can still probably get a business card. Have you sold something on Marketplace? Count that as your business! Think of some way you've earned cash, even a side hustle, and use that to your advantage to sign up for some amazing business cards.

Finally, download the Travel Freely app to keep track of your credit cards and points earned and the Hyatt app to dream and plan how to spend your points!

This Impressions by Secrets is where Nick and I are spending our upcoming anniversary. I see that it costs around $1,000 per night and we are staying five nights for FREE!

Don't miss out on FREE travel...If you need help, send me an email at nickandemilystewart@me.com and I'll share my advice based on what I've learned about Travel Hacking since March 2023!

Key West


4.23.2024

How to pack for 3 nights in Key West in ONLY a backpack!

As I booked our flights to Key West, I found out that I was going to be charged $60 for a carry-on! That's nuts. A personal item is allowed, though, so I decided I'd simply bring a backpack since it would be free and challenge me to pack light.

Next weekend, we have another flight that charges for carry-ons and will each be taking only a back-pack, so this was good practice to confirm it can be done!

Here's my Key West packing list:


All this fit in my old LLBean high school backpack and saved me from paying for luggage or carry-on! It was the perfect amount of items for eating out, shopping, paddle-boarding, boating and hanging out.

What's the lightest you've ever packed for a trip? Please share in the comments below!

10.20.2023

Do you feel "off" when you travel?

Although traveling is my absolute favorite, it doesn’t always leave me feeling my best.  When I get home, it usually takes me a few days to a week to feel back to normal.


Do you struggle with the same issue?  Wanting to get out of town, but finding you come back more tired than when you left?


Here are some of my favorite travel hacks...try them out on your next trip and see if they help you as much as they help me.

-Drink tons of water, so much that you might need to stop at every rest area.  I’m failing here currently. Yes, it’s annoying, but it will help keep your skin clear, your digestion working normally and give you energy.


-When it’s time to eat, choose the best option available to you.  If it’s a smoothie, perfect!  If it’s a veggie pizza, that’s good too!  And make sure you bring lots of snacks for the times when you can’t find a decent place to eat or the munchies hit you when you can’t make a food stop.


-Use your essential oils, everywhere, all the time.  Diffuse En-R-Gee to stay awake while driving, swipe on StressAway when nerves are high, take a whiff of AromaEase when the motion gets to you and massage Valor into the soles of your feet when winding down for the night.


-Download a ton of your favorite Podcasts.  When you’ve been on the road for a while, you’re tired and you’ve run out of conversation, you’ll be glad to fall back on these.


-Wear comfortable clothes, bring a sweater in case you get chilly and wear slip on shoes (if you like to relax without shoes in the car) so that you’re not taking your shoes off and putting them on at every rest stop.  Double points if you bring a pillow and blanket for naps 😉


 Comment below with your favorite travel hacks!


***Order your essential oils HERE and use my code SHAREYL for 10% off :)

10.19.2023

My Go-To Packing List

With all the traveling we've done, I've found it helpful to simply keep a packing list handy all the time so that when an adventure strikes, I can throw everything together without too much thought.


Save this list for your next trip to make things easier on you!


Packing List


Toiletries:

toothbrush

toothpaste

shampoo

dry shampoo

deodorant

comb

soap

body lotion

sunscreen

spf makeup

blush

mascara

lipbalm

ibuprofen

DiGize essential oil (for stomach upset)

Thieves essential oil (for staying well)

White Angelica essential oil (for keeping calm)

Peace&Calming essential oil (for good sleep)

Valor essential oil (for good sleep)



Misc:

waterbottle

sunglasses

iPhone/charger

AirPods

Kindle/charger

Diffuser/charger


***Pack these items for only up to 1 week and do laundry if your trip lasts longer than that:

1-7 pairs underwear

1-3 bras

1-7 socks

1-7 tops

1-3 bottoms

1-3 dresses

1-2 pjs and warm sleep socks

1-3 exercise outfits


Outerwear and Accesories:

birks (warm weather)

boots (cold weather)

tennis shoes

bathing suits, coverup and sunhat (warm weather)

jacket, scarf and beanie (cold weather)


Am I missing anything that's on your packing list? If so, please share!


***Order your essential oils HERE and use code SHAREYL for 10% off!

10.18.2023

Do you feel different when you spend time outside?

I remember when my sister and I watched “My Octopus Teacher” on Netflix.


If you haven’t watched it, Craig was a burned out film-maker who began free-diving daily. He comes across an octopus and decides to return to her everyday.


Though the documentary was surprisingly touching, what struck me the most was Craig’s commitment and determination even through discomfort. The water was cold, there was danger around him, he was usually alone, sometimes he even went diving at night.


He never missed a day.


I can’t think of anything that I’m willing to commit to every single day, especially if it’s uncomfortable. And it caused me to realize that my attitude keeps me from the real world around me.


Most of my days are spent indoors. I’ve got heating and air. The TV is often playing or, if not, music on my iPhone. Everything is cushy and clean and safe.


But what if I committed to doing outside activities daily? No matter the temperature. The noises of nature. Dirt, bugs, sun, rain, wind. 

Craig talked about how the cold water was hard at first, but then he began to crave it. His time in the ocean calmed and centered him and even went as far as to improve his human relationships. I believe that it was because he became more focused on what’s real.


If I’m not careful, I stay inside all the time. It’s too hot outside. It’s too cold outside. It’s raining. I hate the bugs. It’s boring. I don’t have a plug and my phone is dying. Etc. But, what if I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and committed to daily outside activities?


And the ironic thing is…Ivy is much happier when we are outside🥰

10.12.2023

11 to do, see, stay and eat in Outer Banks

The outer banks is one of the most magical places I've ever been in the USA and I can't wait to go back one day to stay for a longer, better planned trip.


Here are some of our favorites from that trip:

1. Heart of Manteo Motor Lodge

2. Roanoke Island Festival Park 

3. Wright Brothers National Memorial

4. Jockey Ridge State Park sand dunes

5. Front Porch Cafe

6. Dawdy Park Playground

7. Inn at Rodanthe (from Nicholas Sparks movie)

8. Fatty’s Eatery

9. Hatteras Lighthouse

10. Whalehead Mansion

11. Search for wild ponies


We didn’t get to go to Ocracoke at this point in the road-trip because of weather, so I’ll be back soon with a post about our favorites in Ocracoke!

10.10.2023

How To Get Hard Things Done

“The belief that you can do it comes from doing it.”
-Darlene Weir
I think back over my life and all the times I said “I can’t do that” or “I’d never be able to do that”. Times I believed that something was just too hard and I didn’t have what it takes.
Sometimes I let those beliefs hold me back from accomplishing what I wished or wanted. But every now and then, I’d somehow find the courage to stop making excuses and simply do it.
“I’ll never be able to run my own business”, “I can’t run well enough to sign up for a race”, “I’ll never be good at social media”, “I can’t be a vegan because I can’t live without cheese”, “I won’t survive a medication free, natural birth”, “I’ll never travel once I have kids” and even something as silly as “I’ll never learn how to wand my hair”...these were all things that I truly believed at one point.
Each one of these beliefs, though, we’re just that...beliefs. At some point, for every one of these (and more), I decided to take control and simply make it happen.
I learned how to be a business owner, run, use social media, live without cheese, naturally birth babies, travel with a toddler and wand my hair. The belief that I could do each one of these came from just doing them.
So, let’s stop making excuses by using words like “can’t” and “could never” and be honest with ourselves. We CAN do it. It’s a choice. And if we choose NOT to do it, let’s begin using phrases like, “that’s not my priority right now” instead. I don’t want to be a victim. I doubt you want to either.
The belief that we can do it comes from doing it. Let’s do it.

10.06.2023

It's NOT too hard to travel with kids!

Have you ever been told it’s too hard to travel with kids?


I knew having a baby would change my life forever, but I went into this determined to still have a life.


So, since the week Ivy was born, I’ve made an effort to get outside for walks, try new restaurants, go for coffee and hang out with friends. I was hard in the beginning and I would come home exhausted, but it made me feel like I hadn’t lost all my freedom.


She's three now and we're doing more and more...road-trips, adventures, crossing things off our Bucket List, being involved with church and friends. It's been amazing to prove to myself that I can have a kid and still do all the things I did before!


What’s insane is to think back. With four small girls, my parents traveled the world. We lived in Ethiopia and traveled to Kenya. We spent the summer in Peru and Bolivia and then moved to Bolivia the next year. We’ve gotten lost roadtripping the USA, broken down as we drove through the African countryside and burnt out the breaks in the Andes mountains. I’m familiar with too many airports to count. We’ve piled into subways, trains, buses and taxis all over the world. Getting lost was our style.

We swam in jungle rivers with piranhas, anacondas and alligators, found ourselves in the midst of protests and tear gas, run from the police and tried to fend off lose monkeys while they swung on my youngest sisters neck. I’ve got a lifetime of crazy memories and, until I moved back to the USA for college, thought that my life was totally normal.


But the truth is, my sisters and I experienced more during our childhoods than most in their lifetime. Based on my history, you’d think nothing would scare me. But I have to work hard to be adventurous as a mom. It’s really made me admire my parents laid back attitude and trust in the Lord.


I have so many good memories from my childhood abroad. And the thing is, I didn’t have a cell phone for my parents to check in on me all the time. And yet they allowed me a lot of freedom to explore, hang out with friends and truly experience the cultures we lived in. I want that for Ivy. But I realize that if I want that for her, I have to start by being brave myself. Right now.


Life doesn’t stop because I had a baby. It’s different, sure. It’s hard, yes. But, it’s new and fresh and can be a lot more exciting.


Having kids doesn't have to change anything. Just plan, be flexible, move forward and keep doing what you love, teaching your kid to love it all with you!

10.05.2023

Home is "base"

Over the years, I’ve come to see our home as “base”.


I love to come home, wash my clothes, catch up with friends and enjoy my routine. But, then I remember the far-away friends I miss, the vegan restaurants we’ve yet to try, the places I haven’t seen and the things I still want to try. I think of my ticking clock and the fear of leaving anything until “someday”.


And then I know I can’t just stay home.


I want to be free.  Free to forget about the chores.  Free to listen to the silence of the outdoors.  Free to go without a plan.  Free to think clearly.  Free to cross things off my Bucket List.  Free to wander.


Because travel changes us.


I see it each time we hit the interstate on the way out of town.


New ideas for writing come to my mind.  Nick opens up and shares his recent thoughts. Together, we dream and plan and make big life decisions.  We are a better version of ourselves when we get away.


Every time.


We get out of our bubble and the world becomes a bigger place.


We have things on our minds as we set out on yet another road trip...dreams that could be plans if we can just get away and brainstorm.


So, I’m pumped as I think through another road-trip.  Just us three and the open road.  No distractions.  Just food and naps and us and adventure and I can’t wait to see where we are and how we’ve changed and the decisions we’ve made when we settle back into our home base once it's all over and time to plan another adventure.

10.02.2023

48 items to pack on your next camping trip

FaceBook memories keep reminding me that Ivy's first road-trip was 2 years ago and it's got me ready to pack up and go ago. Just last week, I bought a smaller tent, since she's no longer in a playpen, so that we are ready to go at a moment's notice.

If you're ready to be adventurous too, here's my packing list from 2 years ago. I promise we had everything we needed as we were on the road for 2.5 months! 

Camping Packing List:


First aid kit

Ibuprofen

Sleeping bags/mats

Tent

Tarp

Flashlight

Headlamp

Cooler

Water bottles


Lighter

Camp towels 

Camp chairs

Hammock

Stove

Pot

Pan

Spatula

Plates

Bowls

Spoons

Forks

Cutting board

Sharp knife

Mixing spoon

Mixing bowl

Tongs

Oven mitt

Measuring cups/spoons

Can opener

Scissors

Ziploc bags

Aluminum 

Salt

Pepper 

Oil


Dish soap

Sponge

Paper towels 

Trash bags

Clothes line/pins

Stain remover

Laundry detergent 

Broom/dustpan

Thieves Essential Oil

DiGize Essential Oil

Bikes

Bike helmets

Bike rack

Bike pump

Scrubba Wash Bag


Are you a camper? If so, tell me what you always pack in the comments below!


***Order your Young Living essential oils HERE. Use code SHAREYL for 10% off :)