An interrailer’s budget is a sensitive thing, so finding souvenirs that are affordable can be very tricky, especially if you want to get something from everywhere you go.
After some thinking I settled on fridge magnets. So now for about one euro each, and minimal space in my bag, I have a reminder of everywhere I’ve been.
"I was also able to combine forces with my housemates when I got back home, to cover our entire fridge with reminders of our trips."
The one downside, however, is that you have to occasionally go into souvenir shops in busy tourist destinations. It’s hard to argue that you’re “not like every other tourist” when you are stumbling through a shop with ‘I heart (name of place)’ t-shirts everywhere, looking for your latest piece of cheap tat.
I was also able to combine forces with my housemates when I got back home, to cover our entire fridge with reminders of our trips. The interior design of the insufferable.
You might also find that some occasionally go missing for a month or two. On at least two occasions, one of my magnets have been swiped and gone on an involuntary loan at a friend’s flat. So, while they can be a lovely, wholesome souvenir, it is best that you watch them around your friends if, like mine, some of them are prone to kleptomania.
