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Worldwide Gifts
and Shopping
Forgot To Buy Something From A Port You Won't Be Visiting Again? 
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This shop is available to Everyone and specializes in those unique gifts and things you might want.
Introducing: Greg's new "Shop for Everything" for our USA and UK members and visitors.
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African American Figurines At Discount Prices
Our african american figurines are in styles that vary from folk art to fine art. our finely detailed african american figurines are carefully sculpted by the artisan to make them wonderful home adornments. They also make great gift ideas!
Dead Sea
Providing only the best dead sea products. 100% natural, no synthetic preservatives, paraben free, and no animal ingredients or testing on animals!
- Greg's tip: Don't forget when shopping ashore; find out the local customs in advance!
A lot of traders assume you will barter with them and will price accordingly. In other places it is considered rude to bargain and could cause you problems. If you look like a tourist the chances are you will be greeted by a different price list than the locals would get. This can be avoided if you can look as if you live there and don't get taken in by rubbish products purely aimed at holiday makers who left their brain and sense of taste at home. If you buy clothes that look ridiculous in an attempt to look like a local the chances are you will look like a real tourist. The best way to prepare is to look from your porthole or the open decks and see what the normal dress sense is, then find something you have that is not out of place with that. Think about how you would dress and behave if you lived in that place after some time. For instance, in ports like Morocco, Senagal etc. wearing brand new jeans and trainers suggests that you have money to waste and will make you a target. Locals wear warn jeans or trousers and plain shirts. Wearing similar attire and looking comfortable with it can give the impression that you may not be a tourist and can avoid you being chased. Obviously wearing a logo from another country can be a give away so try to wear plain clothes and just fit in; it's only for one special day.
Being accepted as if you are a local can be a very pleasurable and far less stressful experience!
- Golden Rule: Do not buy things you would not buy if you saw them at home!
Carpet salesmen in places such as Turkey and Morocco can be very persuasive. If you don't want to buy; avoid eye contact. Some places think that if you walk away that you are using a bargaining tactic. Remember "NO" means "NO". Do not get suckered into last minute bargaining unless you really are using a bargaining tactic and have reached close to the price you were after. Even then you must think about what you really want. You can spend a fortune on products you could buy at home of equal quality for a similar price. It's great to have momentoes of places you visit as long as it's unique to that place and doesn't eat into your earnings too much.
Be careful of sales people who sell something in an attempt to rob you whilst you are distracted. One common example is the Spanish flower seller scam. A lady with young adorable children sell flowers. You can't resist and reach into your pocket to get the change for the flowers, as your hand leaves your pocket their children rob your pockets as you pay for flowers. You probably won't have any idea until you get back to the ship or go to pay for a coffee in a cafe only to find you have no change.
Be careful when buying products such as electronics and perfumes. If the price seems too cheap to be true it probably is! I've had friends buy video cameras only to find that they were an empty shell that looked like a camera. One friend bought an empty box with a brick in it. Only buy if you are returning regularly to that port and the seller knows this. Likewise it better be a stand alone store and not a market place. As to perfumes; be very wary of how it looks including the packaging. Some perfumes turn out to be not just fake, but plain water! If you must buy fake goods do not give them away as presents and claim that they are real. A fake Rolex can be confiscated by a jeweler if taken in for repair or a new battery; fake sunglasses usually fall apart and people can tell the difference between their favourite perfume and a cheap immitation, especially when it brings them up in a rash. It's not worth the humiliation so I've heard!
When shopping in foreign ports, try to keep your brain in gear, use common sense and respect the local customs without trying to be a hero and you should have some great experiences with very few problems!
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