2006-07-07 - 12:39
No offense to gypsies but there really is no better way to put it.
My roommate Heather insists that she's frugal and wants to be careful with her spending, but I've seen no evidence to support this idea. When the trickshaw driver spotted foreigners she was quick to say let's do it. I"m naturally suspicious of people, especially nice smiling ones but it seemed like fun. so driving two people uphill meant going slower than walking pace and after a bit he drops us at a jewerly store where Heather bought pearls and polietely hemmed and hawed while they asked her to spend more money. I immediately filled the role of bitchy friend and they sensing the weak link, focused attention on her. Back in the trickshaw the man pedalled us to Chinatown. At the end of the ride he tells us we went over an hour and therefore the price goes up. Another $10 for the extra 10 minutes. In one of the safest tourist cities we find the one con man. And we paid him! There's not even a language barrier (well, not really) and Heather paid him! If I had been alone i would have made a scene and told him where to stick it.
So we go to a few shops, stop at a restaurant and ordered lots of food that wasn't good. The woman lied about portion size and we spent a days worth of per diem on one meal.
We go to our lecture session (yawn) and as a group go to the famous Raffles hotel for Singapore slings, the trademark drink of the colonial English hotel. Tourist trap! $17 for one drink! But refreshing. Money spent and feet sore, the next day has to be better right?
