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Any experienced traveler has been there. You’re walking down the street of some third world dive and a hawker has zeroed in on you, determined that you are going to part with your cash for whatever two-bit piece of crap they are trying to offload.

The funny thing is that hawkers can almost always correctly pick the newbie traveler to pick on - after all they are the one who is most likely to part with their cash just to get rid of them.

So how do you avaoid these guys fleecing you?

There are a few rules:

Dress Down

The trick is to look poorer than the next tourist. The hawker is always going to go after the fat guy wearing the Tag watch and Polo shirt. Don’t be that guy. If you look like less of a prospect than the next tourist then you will be relatively safe.

Hide the Gadgets

Again with the rich theme - if you have laptops, cell phones, GPS devices and Palms then you look rich. You are probably carrying devices worth 6 months wages to half the people around you. You don’t want that, so put them in your (suitably drab) bag.

Don’t Slow Down

If you are walking when you are approached by a hawker DO NOT slow down. This is a huge mistake that many newbies make. Slowing down gives the hawker a chance to block your path and shows them that you MIGHT be interested. Just maintain a steady pace and direction - simple!

Don’t Pick it Up

Under no circumstances should you EVER take what is offered. Once you have picked up the merchandise that was offered to you, you will NEVER be able to get rid of it or hand it back to the seller. It is a hard sell tactic, but it works and it is used a lot. Don’t be caught out.

Keep Your Sense of Humour

It is pretty easy to lose your cool with people in some places. That is a bad idea. They are just trying to make the best of the shitty hand that they have been dealt and fleecing rich tourists pays better than many other jobs in the third world - but it still sucks so cut some slack. The best way to diffuse any tense moments is to laugh and share a joke - after all you are there to have fun.