glenn@ncoast.UUCP (Glen Norris) (08/18/84)
I and a couple of friends are becoming more serious daily about roughing it in Europe next summer. Let me tell you what we're thinking about now and then see if you can't make any suggestions or warnings. First we earn $1K during this coming school year (that's the hard part). Then we buy a Eurail card good for a month, a hostel card, and a Peoples' Express air ticket (apprx $400 rnd trip- one of these no luggage flights). We'll be taking no luggage except for a big frame backpack each. Then we Take off from Pittsburgh before landing in London where we'll hop on a train and follow our whims for a month. Have any of you done this? Can you provide any tips? Do you think it can be done for $1K? I know it will involve a lot of walking. Here are some specific questions: I believe England is not associated w/ Eurail. Do you know the expense of a ferry to the nearest train station? What expenses could be hidden? Is there any commodity we could take and trade for other valuables (like Levis or something)? Is it really possible to live on hostel food (mostly) for a month (that's cheese, bread, coffee, and sausage, right?)? We're figuring $700 for transport alone, $100 for things we'll forget about, and $200/4 wks = $50/wk survival money (food, hostel, bus fare, trinkets, film...). Anyone see anything wrong with that (Oh- the $700 is $400air + $300Eurail pass)? We figure if we're going to see Europe- this is our last chance. Subsequent summers will be spent cooping and after school it will be too late; that is, we'll be thrust into a job or we'll have to go the business suit way paying big bucks for hotels and such. We want to go while a backpack and train still sound fun. I'd be interested to hear anything you've got to say, especially if you've done this. Thank you! Glen Norris decvax!cwruecmp!ncoast!gle[n,nn]