Re: First time ti India - Suggestions
Posted: December 26th, 2017, 10:34 am
It's not India, of course, but Sri Lanka shares a few tourist scams. We lived there for almost 7 years. Here are a few of the recurring themes.
1. New Best Friends. (They can be remarkably convincing)
Touts station themselves outside any location frequented by foreigners such as hotels, restaurants, bars, bus and rail terminals. The basic rule is never to enter into conversation with them no matter how friendly, honest or polite they seem. Some of their ploys:
a. Do you need directions/ have you visited X yet? I'll flag down a cheap 3 wheeler/taxi for you. He is in cahoots with the driver and they get commission for your visits to shops, restaurants, bars, etc.
b. Where are you going? Oh that hotel/ department store has closed down/is too far away but I can recommend a nicer cheaper /nearer alternative. Let me just flag down a passing 3 wheeler/taxi for you.........
c. Hi, I work in reception of the hotel/restaurant you have just walked out of and I saw you there earlier. Where are you going? Oh, that restaurant/bar etc. has just closed/is too expensive/ no good. I can recommend another. Let me just.....
d. I think you would enjoy visiting some of our famous gem museums, organic herb gardens, etc. (They look indistinguishable from shops when you get there and there are no local customers). Let me just flag down.........
2. Beggars.
a. First prize goes to the guys who operated daily on our street corner. One arrived for work carrying a pair of crutches and would do a highly credible cripple on his last legs when vehicles approached the traffic lights. A true thespian.
b. Women with babies or toddlers at the same street corners daily and in all weathers. They frequently rent the kids by the day.
Beggars are awarded pitches by gangs who helpfully provide transport to and from the pitch and even supply packed lunches.
3. Bum Recommendations.
Hard to avoid but even legitimate taxi/ 3 wheeler drivers will recommend coffee stops at god forsaken dreary empty tea shops that exist only to service taxi customers.
I could go on.
TP2
1. New Best Friends. (They can be remarkably convincing)
Touts station themselves outside any location frequented by foreigners such as hotels, restaurants, bars, bus and rail terminals. The basic rule is never to enter into conversation with them no matter how friendly, honest or polite they seem. Some of their ploys:
a. Do you need directions/ have you visited X yet? I'll flag down a cheap 3 wheeler/taxi for you. He is in cahoots with the driver and they get commission for your visits to shops, restaurants, bars, etc.
b. Where are you going? Oh that hotel/ department store has closed down/is too far away but I can recommend a nicer cheaper /nearer alternative. Let me just flag down a passing 3 wheeler/taxi for you.........
c. Hi, I work in reception of the hotel/restaurant you have just walked out of and I saw you there earlier. Where are you going? Oh, that restaurant/bar etc. has just closed/is too expensive/ no good. I can recommend another. Let me just.....
d. I think you would enjoy visiting some of our famous gem museums, organic herb gardens, etc. (They look indistinguishable from shops when you get there and there are no local customers). Let me just flag down.........
2. Beggars.
a. First prize goes to the guys who operated daily on our street corner. One arrived for work carrying a pair of crutches and would do a highly credible cripple on his last legs when vehicles approached the traffic lights. A true thespian.
b. Women with babies or toddlers at the same street corners daily and in all weathers. They frequently rent the kids by the day.
Beggars are awarded pitches by gangs who helpfully provide transport to and from the pitch and even supply packed lunches.
3. Bum Recommendations.
Hard to avoid but even legitimate taxi/ 3 wheeler drivers will recommend coffee stops at god forsaken dreary empty tea shops that exist only to service taxi customers.
I could go on.
TP2