Sharing my Experience.....

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The $400 Challenge: 3-day Business Trip in New York

The chauffeur elegantly opens the door of the limousine, touches his cap and bids me farewell in front of a dozen rasta-looking, dreadlocked backpackers.

I just got dropped off at my youth hostel in Central Harlem. And it looks like I landed on Mars. I am wearing a custom-made, black suit, 4-inch, classy high heels, a little "gavroche" (technical term for a small Hermes scarf negligently draped around my neck), a branded purse and a few jewels from Place Vendome.

What on earth am I doing in the middle of the night in front of a youth hostel in Central Harlem? Kinda out of place wouldn't you say?

Let me tell you about my little "challenge".....

As I was planning a business trip from San Francisco to NY to meet with a European tycoon and a top journalist from France, I had two alternatives: taking the best in each category: transportation, hotels and food or going for a challenge. How about not exceeding $400 for a 3-day trip to NY, ALL included? After all I had heard my entrepreneur clients complain so often they could not afford business trips to NY because closet-sized accommodations were priced exorbitantly!

Let's see.... $400 for airfare, two nights, seven meals and transportation to and from the airport and to and from meetings. How many of you think this is possible?

Let's travel together.....

After checking in on expedia.com and not finding any ticket under $400 I decided to go for low-thrills airlines, the kind which don't even want to waste money being listed on those best-airfare-finder websites, namely Southwest, JetBlue and Delta Song. Bingo! I found a $256 return ticket all tax included on Delta Song. And this came with a private TV with 24 channels, movies and all the music I could listen to in five and a half hours... and if this treat were not enough, Delta Song caters to the most discriminating traveler since half of their menu is organic. Yeah, the weight loss coach is thrilled!

I found a nice private chauffeur to and from the airport in San Francisco so this came out at zero dollars and zero cents.

As I land in NY after having had two organic apples from home on the plane and a raw food bar I have spent a grand total of $256. I am now left with $144 to find a roof and go to my meetings. Impossible mission? Not for a private coach who likes challenges! To NY from JFK? I took a shuttle, $34 return. I am now the proud owner of $110 to pay for my accommodations and reach the VIPs I am meeting with (who, after all, are the purpose of my trip!).

After considering sleeping under a bridge, on a bridge, in central Park and at my assistant's apartment in NY, I settle for a youth hostel in Central Harlem, next to the metro-line 1… this should allow me to move around for a few dimes.

I land on a Sunday night at 9 pm in JFK, wait for the shuttle for about half an hour, drop off 12 passengers (I am, of course, the last on the van to be dropped off at my final destination) I hit the hostel at almost 11 pm. Upon checking in at the bargain price of $32 a night, I insist on getting a room on the quiet side of the building. Well, let's say we don't have the same definition of the word "quiet"! I end up in a female-only, 6-bed dorm on a large active avenue. Worse, one of the ladies snores like a bear! I need two Simply Sleep and earplugs to sleep a few hours. Of course, being the last to arrive, I got a top, squeaky bunk bed that makes noise even when I breathe! Before falling asleep, I assure myself that all my belongings are safely stashed in the small locker that comes with the bed. I thought about bringing a lock so we should be all set.

At 6 am I wake up...6 of us in the room that's 5 too many.....I am restless....I need to take a shower....ok....for $32 a night let's not expect the Ritz...and I can assure you this is not even close to it! Taking a shower and dressing up in business attire in such conditions, not mentioning working or putting on make up is next to impossible, but it can be done. The proof? I did it!

I am now rich with $36 to pay for my meals and local transportations. It is going to be tight but don't I love challenges! I decide to go for a tour to make sure I know exactly where to meet the first person, a journalist from the #1 French weekly publication. I end up walking with flip flops (ouch, blisters!) over 50 blocks all the way down to South Central Park. Once I have confirmed our meeting place I am so exhausted and decide to go wild and spend $2 on a metro ticket. Back to the hostel. They haven't cleaned the showers yet so taking a shower is like swimming in a dirty pond but it seems this can't kill you since many backpackers appear to thrive on this regimen.

I manage to look business chic as I hop on the metro on the way back to where I just came from! Starting the journey in Harlem I decide to wear flats in case I may need to run. I carry the classy high heels in my purse, tightly held against my body.

With $32 left I have to inform the journalist about my little challenge because I can't expect this fancy restaurant to cost less than $100 for 2! Very fairplay journalist who smiles at the idea and finds it very amusing. Thanks to his understanding I am still in the challenge as I exit this very constructive meeting. Back on the metro, $2 more dollars.....a little nap with my wallet under the pillow, lest it may get stolen (!), back to the shower (it is a very hot day here in NY!) and this time dressed as chic as can be, here I am walking down in Harlem to catch the next metro to the uber chic Mandarin Hotel on 60th.

In the nicely air conditioned metro, much more comfortable than the subway in Paris, France, where the temperatures can reach 90 degrees or more in the summer, I leisurely change from my flip-flops into classy Channel high heels. I surely will become schizophrenic with these two Harlem/Upper East Side personalities I am working with these days!

I am right on time to meet with this person I have been looking for all my life without knowing it, somebody who can understand me, the ideal partner, the man who comes from a modest condition and who has elevated himself to the highest level of personal, social and financial success. This is the person I am going to spend two hours with in a suite that surely costs 300 times more than my Harlem dwelling! Constructive meeting followed by a trip in the limo to THE place where the rich and famous have dinner.

My $28 remaining dollars could not even afford a glass of sparkling water in this elitist eating joint! But French gallantry is not a vain word and I am pampered for two hours. Informed of my challenge, my dear tycoon offers to drive me back to the hostel with the limo hence my triumphant arrival in front of a pack of shocked, broke globe trotters.

Granted this challenge was out of the ordinary but it certainly proves several things:
-1- if there is a will, there is a way
-2- if you set expectations you will meet them
-3- there is no goal that's too out-of-reach
-4- Share your goal with others; they may be willing to help!

Stay with me for my next trip to NY, I will work on doing the complete opposite: first class ticket, 52nd floor royal suite and private chauffeur. This should be quite easy!

Until then, keep your dreams alive and go-get-‘em!

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©Valerie Orsoni-Vauthey, Speron Inc, MyPrivateCoach d/b/a 2004.
Weight Loss Coaching at My Private Coach
Valerie Orsoni-Vauthey is the CEO & Founder of My Private Coach. She can be contacted at info@myprivatecoach.com.
She provides Weight Loss Coaching programs. Get a taste of coaching FREE today, schedule your first free session!
This article may be published without the consent of the author so long as the publisher's box is included in the post.

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