Smile like you mean it

On the weekends, north of the city centre, Chatuchak Market opens up. We spent 5 hours there and barely covered a sixth of the sprawling mess (the long green section in the lower-left-hand corner of the map). There's a thriving T-shirt industry here, and pithy, iconoclastic down-with-the-man chest-statements you'd pay $30+ for on Main Street cost a song here. We loaded up on clothes, cold drinks and knockoff Danish assemble-yourself lampshades (?). After all the spiritual wattage of the last few days, it was grueling but supremely satisfying to balance our chi with some rampant consumerism.

The vendors here are out for your money, but it's all more good-natured than anything we've found in other countries. A smile goes a mile. Just figure out what you'd be willing to pay and turn on the charm; even if the final negotiated discount is token, both sides leave feeling happy if everyone is smiling. More often than not, maintaining a good sense of humour will net you a good measure of goodwill. Nazma's under the impression I have some kind of "way" with the locals here: I pretty sure it's because I've taken to grinning like an idiot in all transactions.