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It's a familiar scene, played out again and again over much of
the developing world. There you are, staring up at the sphinx, or
the Taj Mahal, or whatever, trying to take it in, absorb as much
of the beauty and history as you can. Only you can't, because there's
a young man at your shoulder, hissing, "Baksheesh, baksheesh"
or, "tip, tip" or, "10 peso, 10 peso."
You've tried repeatedly telling him "no," but it does
no good and anyway he knows, with a wisdom born of experience, what's
likely to happen next. Finally capitulating, you pull out a few
tattered, crumpled notes and shove them at him, hoping now that
he'll leave you alone. And he does. Only now he's replaced by a
group of his colleagues, drawn by the sight of money and the soft
touch giving it away. You realize finally that your quiet contemplation
of the marvel in front of you is over.
It is, of course, important to recognize that the vast majority
of people you're likely to meet on your travels will be friendly
and honest. It is also important to acknowledge that many people
depend on tourism for their livelihoods and that tourism's injection
of foreign currency often helps to support teetering local economies.
However, responsible tourism often involves choices about where
to place this money: to the child beggar in Bangkok whose every
penny goes to the local Mafia? Or a local charity dedicated to helping
children? Local guides who through a process of intimidation and
persistence insist on taking you to the "best stores"?
Or the local merchants who run an honest business in the Medina?
You only have so much money to spend when visiting a country and
of course you don't want it to go to those most adept at deceiving,
cheating or extorting you. Whether it's gem merchants in Bangkok,
pickpockets in Rio or "guides" in the market at Cairo,
there's often someone waiting to take advantage of the unwary or
gullible.
Stepping of the ferry in Tangiers, Morocco, for example, can be
daunting and is indicative of much travel in the developing world.
"Excuse me, excuse me. Sir! Baksheesh! Toll charge! I'm a guide.
One minute please. Police! Let me see your passport." It seems
that each and every person is trying desperately to get your attention.
Yelling incessantly, grabbing your arms and sometimes blocking your
path, the scores of self styled guides, beggars and tricksters know
that as soon as you glance up, through weakness, politeness or interest,
contact has been made.
In parts of South America, and elsewhere, its not uncommon for dubious
characters claiming to be policemen to approach tourists or travelers
on the street. Invariably they're in plain clothes or an unmarked
car and their intention is to make off with your passport. It seems
obvious but in the heat of the moment, and with that worry at the
back of your mind that they could actually be policemen, it's easy
to get panicked and hand over that all-important little book.
As well as intimidating situations like these there are multitudes
of confidence tricks. It's easy for young men to strike up a conversation
if they claim they're students wanting to practice their English.
They're charming and polite and would be happy to guide you round
the city. I suppose they could be on the level and it might be a
nice way to spend the day but then again you don't want to be taken
for a mug or to spend the day experiencing their well worked repertoire
of rip offs.
There's also the emotionally charged issue of when, if at all, to
give money to beggars. While many of the outstretched hands around
undoubtedly do belong to poverty-stricken individuals you have to
wonder what percentage, and which ones, are genuinely in need. Dipping
your hand in your pocket every two minutes can become irritating
to say the least especially when you may be perpetuating a situation
whereby opportunists are getting their hands on some quick easy
cash. They can be very persistent, and no wonder when the last foreigner
traveling through, apologetically refused to give anything for three
or four minutes but then gave in to get some peace and quiet.
So how do you avoid being targeted by those who are interested in
deceiving or intimidating you, how do you see through the many different
confidence tricks, and how can you insure that any money you give
goes to those most in need? Well, the first step is to look the
part of a seasoned pro, however you might feel. Anyone who appears
flustered, nervous or even scared is quickly singled out as someone
who may hand over some cash or buy that pot just to be left alone.
Far better to gaze disinterestedly ahead, zero acknowledgement and
display absolutely no interest in comments you've heard a thousand
times before. By assuming a confident air, a purposeful stride and
avoiding eye contact, you're immediately perceived as someone who
knows what they're doing, and where they're going. Other easy to
master ways of minimizing the attention you receive are keeping
your maps and guidebooks out of sight and separating your cash so
you don't have to bring out your bulging wallet in public. Also
leave that showy expensive watch at home and be aware at all times
of both the people around you and of your belongings. These are
common sense rules but ones that many nevertheless ignore and then
pay for later.
Confidence tricks play on people's naivete and so a little bit of
cynicism will get you a long way when you're approached with that
wonderful offer or "standard" fee. Don't be rushed into
anything and have a little think about what they're saying. That
special day in Bangkok when all gems are half price promising big
profits when you resell at home? Yeah right, lucky me. The students
wanting to practice their English? That's a flash moped they're
on. Student grants must be pretty good in Benin. That entrance fee
the temple guard wants? Where's your uniform mate? And why aren't
you hassling those locals? Of course, there's a fine line between
being wary, and being paranoid but let common sense and your powers
of observation be your guide. If it looks suspect and it feels suspect…..
Perhaps the most difficult decision to make is when to give money
to beggars. It's just so difficult to tell who is sincerely in need
of your help. Therefore, perhaps the best approach to ensure your
money goes to those most in need is to give to reputable local charities
who are much more aware of local needs than yourself and can channel
the money appropriately.
Inevitably, as you travel through developing countries, many people
will perceive you as being extremely well off and fortunate but
that doesn't mean you need be exploited as a kind of mobile ATM.
By being just a little bit shrewd and aware of possible dangers,
your trip is much more likely to be safe and stress free. Damn,
now where's my wallet…..
This Travel Tip first appeared in
Backpacker Essentials
Joel has lived and worked in Asia for
the last decade and has written for numerous travel magazines. He
is the chief editor of Asia Travel Ezine and is also responsible for
editing and managing the website, Asia
Hotel Bookings . He currently resides in Hanoi. Copyright
Notice: All content and photos in this article are owned by the
author. For reprints, please contact Joel. Click
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