An Egyptian Bargain
An inside look at third-world haggling
By Dave Weimer
Hidden In Plain Sight
...Two feet from my head I heard the huffing of a very large animal and I instinctively yelled at the top of my lungs...
The South Pole Traverse
...Delivering 100,000 gallons of fuel across Antarctica...
Dr Jones
...I've been fortunate in my life to have had many adventures, some fun, some not so fun...
Trapped in the Barrier Range
....I'm not too thrilled about wielding a metal shovel while lightning is cracking over head but I've got little choice...
Summer Sled Dogs
...The desire to pull was in the dog’s blood and they couldn't forget what they were born to do...
Bargain- (verb) to negotiate over the terms of a purchase, agreement, or contract.
Haggle- (verb) to annoy or exhaust with bargaining.
Just minutes after hitting the tarmac at Egypt's international airport in Cairo - the haggling begins. First, with a swarm of hotel touts, then taxi drivers, then with the management of the hotel you've chosen, and finally, after you've looked at the menu in the hotel’s restaurant, you begin haggling!
The art of the haggle is as foreign to the American mind as is the Pyramids of Giza themselves. The truth of the matter is, in Egypt and much of the third world, you must compete with the vendor by haggling or pay a grossly inflated price.
Haggling is part of the Egyptian culture and is regarded as an important part of a transaction and is, ideally, an enjoyable exchange. Should a traveler refuse to partake in this local custom and instead pay anything a salesclerk asks, he or she is committing a severe injustice for other travelers because not all foreigners are ignorant and rich. Furthermore, the traveler should never feel guilty if he or she gets the price for which they are haggling. You must remember, a storekeeper will never give you an item for less then cost and you will most certainly pay more then a local.
On our first day, Mike, Cary and I went (like every tourist) to see the Pyramids. While hiking around taking pictures it can be a bit overwhelming the amount of touts, salesmen, and baksheeshers offering everything from guides, camel rides, to soft drinks. When you stop thinking of it as harassment and instead consider it a cultural experience, it’s much more fun.
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