h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Money belts are good, but if you don't have the right sort of body shape they can look rather obviously lumpy under your clothes when full of banknotes/ travellers cheques at the start of your journey! Which means that people can see you're an inter-railer at 20 paces. Some people have those pocket things that hang round your neck. They sway from side to side as you walk, so look a lot more obvious than you'd think.

I inter-railed with a girl who cunningly sewed her banknotes into her clothing in little compartments and unpicked each compartment as she needed it. I have never been organised enough to do this but would recommend it - maybe as a way of making sure you only use your "for emergencies only" credit card when you really need it!

As a rule inter-railing will always turn out more expensive than you thought it would be, but hey! the experience of going really is worth more than any money could buy.

breakfastlunchandtea

I over estimated completely! and came back with £300 in my pocket! that was very plesent, and I'd been able to over budget by spending a night in a hotel and hiring a car with a girl I met at a youth hostel in Florence.. but then I listened to to horror stories of someone who I thought was knowledgeable on it!

But as he hadn't grow up in Skem (see the other edited entry I wrote that's on the front page today!!! A890561 ) I realised that he didn't have a clue about not spending money!

Money on an inter-rail trip can stretch. Yon don't have to follow the rules and have a clean bed every night and eat three meals a day, including a roast dinner. Loaves of bread can be breakfast, lunch and tea for a few days, so long as you don't get too bored of it and throw it out the train window.. The amount of money I predicted to use was over double what I ended up spending. I admit I didn't eat as much as usual and had some rather rattling nights on trains, but budget travelling ain't that hard or uncomfortable, just use your imagination and see where you can cut corners. Exploring the streets for hours and eating in the local's bistros for a hearty meal save on money and I think you see more of a country than a pricey museum or a stuck up tourist restaurant.
With regards to money belts, it does help if you have a bit of a belly to disguise it in. Mine worked perfectly for about a week, then my belt began to do two things. One, it started to look obvious as my bread based diet slid me into smaller waist sizes. The second thing that happened was, it began to gain an aroma. Wearing it almost constantly created a smell that could have walked home after a month. However, can't take it off, as it has important documents inside which prove you are who you are. A replacement belt is important to hide smells if you are planning any je t'aime, because attracting anything but flies is impossible when smelling like a dung hill. Generally money belts are a pain to carry, but they are useful.

I can't remember if I put this in the article now, but I did use a money-belt - a cheap, thin one that I could fit under my trouser-belt without it showing. I have heard that a pair of tights can be knotted around your waist also.

You had money left and you CAME HOME?? Now I'm confused!

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