When we backpacked around Europe and Asia for 8 months, we did it on basically no money and a weak dollar. What that meant was we never went out at night, rarely ate out and almost always stayed in a 4-12 person dorm style youth hostel where you pay per bed. We even camped out at airports occasionally. Each night was a new experience as you found out who snored, who sleepwalked and who had the stinkies.
As we walked around each city, we passed all the fancy hotels and wondered what it must be like to not share a shower with 12 other people, but knew we would have to save that experience for another vacation later in life. At the time, hopping from hostel to hostel and meeting great random people from around the world proved a hugely influential part of our travel adventures, although admittedly we still had dreams of just one night in a fancy schmancy hotel.
Now the wait is over; each week the TODAY Show has treated us wonderfully by hosting us in some of NYC's finest hotels. First we stayed at the Club Quarters, which is just a hop, skip and a jump from the NBC studios. Last week it was the Radisson on Lexington. And this week they are upping the ante once more by hosting us in The Essex House, a 5-star hotel right off of Central Park! When we received the confirmation, we were stunned. A 5-star hotel! From a 12-Bed Youth Hostel to the 5-Star Essex House, this whole experience has been unreal and dream like.
We are back on the TODAY Show this Wednesday from 8-9am to see if we make it to Round 3 and compete in the next race. If you happen to live in the NYC area, please come down to Rockefeller Center and say hello so we can say THANK YOU! If you need directions email us.
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