Roadside stalls & shops: Shopping for souvenirs

 Some of you may consider shopping an integral part of your holiday experience. I don’t. Agree with the safari company BEFORE you set out, exactly what you want to be doing on the trip. If you want to spend some time shopping, great, let them know. Many drivers will take you to stores where they get commission - not that I personally feel there is anything ethically wrong with doing so, if this is not what you want from your trip, make sure you specify that before making the final arrangements.

What to buy: At nearly all shopping outlets outside the hotels you have the flexibility to haggle about the price. Haggling is a fundamental part of life in most of Africa, so don’t be embarrassed about doing it. For us westerners it takes a little bit of getting used to, but once you get into the hang of it, agreeing a mutually acceptable price, can be great fun. Before you go to the craft market, look at some prices in the hotel souvenir shops. Set yourself a price you’d be happy with, but remember that in the end, the dollar is worth much more to the local traders than it is to you. Take your time, don’t rush it. If you feel they are not budging, start to walk away. I tend to ask the price of an item I am not particularly interested in initially, and then moving about the stall pointing at other pieces, working my way back to the item I actually want. When the trader tells me his price, I feign disinterest. Move on to other articles, then maybe go back to offer a price considerably lower than the estimate I have in my head. Smile a lot and always keep in good natured. If you do finally agree on a price, go ahead with the purchase, don’t just play with the traders and not buy anything; that is bad manners. Above all, have fun. Establish a repartee with the traders; it makes for a much more enjoyable experience for all concerned. Of course, if you find the whole scenario of haggling too much, you can always resort to buying your souvenirs from the hotel/lodge shops at a fixed price.