“Hey buddy,” the balding man clad in a yellow T-shirt shouts
at me... “The lineup for the Empire State Building is over two hours long but I’ve
got some premium passes right here! You can go right to the elevator!”
“No thanks,” I answered, not making eye contact. As a
frenetic crowd of people swirled around me, he continued his aggressive sales
pitch: “You think with these crowds, you’re getting up there anytime soon, guy?”
I just kept walking. As I glanced back a minute later, I could
see a middle-aged woman talking to that man. She appeared to be reaching into
her purse for money…
Being in an unfamiliar place when we travel is naturally at a
bit stressful much of the time. Being conscious of one’s time and budget can
make travelers susceptible to being ripped off. Locals often can be a wonderful
source of advice for things to do, places to see, and ways to save money. No
matter how friendly they may seem, and no matter how eager they seem to be
helpful, one must always be vigilant. You have to trust your gut.
Scam artists know tourists are vulnerable. When buying tickets
for tourist attractions, it’s often best to stick to official sources.
Once, I encountered a vendor on the beach in Mexico who was hawking
some decent looking wood carvings. I was mildly interested, but warning bells
were ringing in my head with how over enthusiastically this man was referring
to me as “amigo.” My offer to purchase one of the carvings was denied with an
outrageously high counter offer. The guy was clearly frustrated, but he somehow
maintained a cheesy smile on his face throughout the absurd pricing
negotiations. I finally said “No sorry, I’m not buying anything.”
Listening to my instinct proved to be worthwhile. An hour
later, a vendor came along with carvings of a similar calibre. We negotiated a
price in a much calmer manner, and soon I had purchased some nice souvenirs to
take home. He was happy to make some business, and I was happy to pay a
reasonable price.
The view from the Empire State Building!
I have always wanted to travel to the Empire State building. However the crowds in New York deter me. It was good that you ignored the man trying to scalp tickets in a very assertive manner. Because those types of people may sometimes be legitimate, but are often not. Its always important that in foreign countries one is diligent in making sure the price for goods is reasonable. I have also found that learning key aspects of language, such as Spanish for Mexico can help lower prices much easier.
ReplyDeleteThe crowds in New York were intimidating at times! I watched an ambulance try to weave its way through Times Square with lights and sirens on. I could have walked faster!
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