If the word barter conjures up images of 16th century peasants trading magic beans for cows, then you may want to read on. Bartering is a very important part of life in Asia. The simple fact is that Asia is cheap. Hostels, restaurants, taxis, prostitutes…everything you could possibly want is much, much cheaper than in the Western World. The problem is, the locals know this. They know, they know you know, and they may even know that you know that they know you know. Trust me, I know. Typically, if you get into a taxi in any Asian countries, the following scenario will play out. The taxi driver will suggest a price that is ludicrously high. Take Phnom Penh for example. You can probably hire a taxi driver to take you around the city, stopping off
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