Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Temporarily Rob is a lone traveller.
Yes, with just over a day left of our little adventure Dan has abandoned me for a romantic liason and I have the wonder of my own company for a day. Oh joy!
Yesterday though I was lucky enough to be joined by somebody else, and we spent a wondorous day wandering around the largest market in Bangkok - maybe even in Thailand - perhaps even the world. It was in a place called Mo Chit, and it was truly intimidating.
It must spread out over about five square miles, and there is no doubt in my mind I could have bought anything I could possibly want there. There were stalls selling plastic fruit, puppets and paper models. Endless aisles of wicker will haunt my dreams, and the smell of all the foods and spices has permenantly burnt away whatever nostril hair I had left after India. It was an attck on all the senses, with the bright displays and loud music blaring, as well as the constant yelling to sell, and the occasional raised voice during a haggling session.
Haggling - a fine art, and one I like to think I am pretty good at. All the sales people start at a stupidly high price, no doubt because sometimes a naive young traveller will pay it. ot me though. I go straight in with a low blow - an imidiate counter attack to at least a quarter of the price. Bash! that's when the immortal line 'But I will lose money' is used. Rubbish. Everything here is made for no more than two pounds, and I do not accept whatever new price. Continue on this vein in 50/100 Baht incriments, refusing to pay more than half their first price, and you will soon break them down. If all else fails, look dissapointed and begin to walk away. Nine times out of ten they will call you back fo fear of losing the sale completely, and the job is done.
Easy Peasy. if only you could do the same in all the shops at home, I think I would enjoy the retail experience a whole lot more!
- comments