Reckoning and Tuk Tuk Drivers.
I was so ready.
I was not going to be taken advantage of. I knew it was going to be a tough bargain and was warned that the infamous tuk tuk drivers of Thailand were waiting and would consider me their prey. But not this time. I had my pen in hand to scribble down prices and armed with exaggerated expressions and my tisk tisk noises to convey unfavorable negotiating terms.
Grasping my belongings tightly, with my head high, and posture bridging on uncomfortable I walked up to the first unsuspecting tuk tuk driver I saw. With a sly smile I looked directly into his eyes and said, "How much to LubD (my hostel)?" I could feel it coming. He looked at me, looked at my bags, looked me in the eyes again, squinted and said,"How much you pay?" I wasn't suspecting this, the him-start-high me-start-low bargaining tools were all I knew. I was caught off guard and realized, I actually don't know how much a tuk tuk costs or how far the hostel actually was. In my high-pitched, cracking voice I said "50?"
"Ok, jump in." He kindly replied. No bargaining. Skeptically I climbed in.
He proceeded to drive me three blocks and dropped me off at the hostel. He smiled as he held out his hand. And all I could do was, well, smile back.
Lesson learned.
I was not going to be taken advantage of. I knew it was going to be a tough bargain and was warned that the infamous tuk tuk drivers of Thailand were waiting and would consider me their prey. But not this time. I had my pen in hand to scribble down prices and armed with exaggerated expressions and my tisk tisk noises to convey unfavorable negotiating terms.
Grasping my belongings tightly, with my head high, and posture bridging on uncomfortable I walked up to the first unsuspecting tuk tuk driver I saw. With a sly smile I looked directly into his eyes and said, "How much to LubD (my hostel)?" I could feel it coming. He looked at me, looked at my bags, looked me in the eyes again, squinted and said,"How much you pay?" I wasn't suspecting this, the him-start-high me-start-low bargaining tools were all I knew. I was caught off guard and realized, I actually don't know how much a tuk tuk costs or how far the hostel actually was. In my high-pitched, cracking voice I said "50?"
"Ok, jump in." He kindly replied. No bargaining. Skeptically I climbed in.
He proceeded to drive me three blocks and dropped me off at the hostel. He smiled as he held out his hand. And all I could do was, well, smile back.
Lesson learned.
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