Korean Job Discussion Forums

[aloysha]

What country, in your experience has the most vile/aggressive or downright scary touts ? My vote is Tangier for scary/aggressive. it was my first experience with them and it was a sharp learning curve.

[bucheon bum]

yeah, I would say Fez, Morocco was the worst for me. Luxor Egypt would be #2.

[pugwall]

I don't want to go anywhere thats worse than Luxor. Totaly hassle brutality.

[endo]

When I was in Shanghai, I asked the hotel clerk where the regular people (non-tourists) go to shop in the hope that I would find some great deals.

By that was a mistake!

I was basically the only caucasian in the whole shopping complex and I had several people following me around trying to bring me to their store. I was trying to be as polite as possible, but even after saying "no thank you" at least fifteen times, they still would not leave me alone.

Their desperation when seeing a white Westerner with supposed deep pockets was sad, scary, pathetic, disheartning, and bizzare at the same time.



I've had similar problems elsewhere, but that day in Shanghai was unique as there were no other Westerners for the locals to concentrate on.

[aloysha]

It can be stressful when your being followed, I know.

In Tangier I was taken in by an easygoing chap who said he would help me find my hotel. I thought why not, I expected to give him something, but I did not expect what was coming.

This guy took me around in a maze, and if you know what the streets are
like then you know if its your first time then you have no clue where you are. He did this to disorient me. He took me to all these shops, and the usual routine.

I listened to a guy show me all of his carpets, then tell me to get the hell out when I wouldn�t buy anything.

My guide and I ended up in an alley of sorts where no one was around except for 3 characters that were eyeing me and not for my good looks. My guide demands a payment of 50 euros for his services. These other characters kept walking by me whispering something like �you better pay him� , �something will happen to you� or something to that effect.

I was in a rough spot, but I didn�t buckle. I thought my only way out of this would to drop all pleasantries and be more aggressive so I could make a quick exit.

In the end, I gave him 10 euros and made my way out.

I even got ripped off by a guy who worked in one of those ferry booths when I was leaving.

The last guy who was grabbing for my bag to get on the ferry almost got to taste some Aloysha furry , as I dropped my bag and told him to get the fack away from me or I am going to start swinging at you�..

I loved Morroco, but the touts and scams..damm

[mnhnhyouh]

I had a tout in northern India, threaten to cut my face off as I took some young girls out of his grasp. That was pretty scary. He knew which hotel I was in and was waiting outside all night.

h

[TECO]

Sounds like they make the touts on Thailand look tame compared to the ones in India and Morroco.

[bucheon bum]

yeah, Thailand is pretty tame in terms of touts. I had more hookers approach me there than touts.

[Smee]

Beijing has no shortage of asshole touts and hookers, even in the upscale parts of town. Not violent, but rude and unrelenting (as touts are wont to be). Can't imagine living there.

[Neil]

[ernie]

what's a tout?

[mnhnhyouh]