Sometimes you get MORE than what you paid for

Instead of blogging, I've spent a few days travelling; taking a day trip to NYC and staying in NJ to audition for American Idol. My brother came with me because he's better able to navigate New Jersey, plus it's always safter to travel with a companion.

We drove up on Sunday, straight to the Izod center where auditions would be held on Tuesday. I expected to stand in line for a few hours to get the wristband that would allow me to audition. To my surprise, I had to wait only a few minutes before claiming my wristband, then we went to the hotel.

I'd gotten a room at the cheapest hotel around, and I expected a dingey room with a hole or two burnt into the carpet, and maybe a few intriguing lines scrawled in Spanish on the headboard (yes, that happened once. It was actually kinda cool). When I got into the hotel lobby to check in, it certainly looked like the cheap place it was--but I did see a small sign advertising free breakfast from 6 to 9--not what I expected. The pleasant surprises continued as I settled into my room.

While I could tell it was a cheap place by the details (the kind of doors used, the cottage-cheese-textured walls and ceiling, and the chipped paint in the corners), the room itself looked respectable, there was a walk-in closet, a small refrigerator and microwave, free wireless internet, a table and small couch by the TV. And the TV had several excellent channels, including USA which airs my favourite entertainment wrestling show on Monday nights--a not-so-guilty pleasure of mine.

We began making plans that night for our Monday trip to NYC. Most of the plans involved figuring out what bus to take. We'd both been to the city before and knew even if all we did was wander up and down Broadway that'd be enough to entertain us for a few hours. (I am definitely, unapologetically a tourist.)

More on the NYC trip tomorrow!