It has been a while since my last blog on Thailand. Well, been busy lately. So, without wasting any more time, my last day trip in Thailand... Damneon Saduak aka The Floating Market. On our last day, we decided to hire a taxi driver for an one day tour. Business is bad there after the riot. Taxi drivers are desperate to get passengers. They are willing to bring you everywhere even if they don't know the road. This is the case of my driver. He used the wrong route. Damn, I was lucky it is a lump sum charge however. He brought me to the place eventually but to the wrong boat ride agent.
That scumbag agent charged us RM 200 for a boat ride when there is public boat ride deeper inside from the entrance. For those going to Thailand, don't be lazy when the taxi driver parks straight on a tour agent ground. Insist you want to walk around and find public transport tour. All you need is ask. You must learn to say "NO" to those persuasive scumbag that will use all kind of grandmother story to bargain with you. Even boat ride fare can be bargained.
In Thailand, you must be prepared to be cheated or at the losing end when it comes to price bargain. I encounter this lady there who I bought small boat souvenir. She began the offer at RM20. All you need to do is shake head even if you think the price is reasonable. She dug out her calculator and asked me how much I can offer? The easiest way to come with a value is just follow your instinct. Come on. How much can a small hand made wooden boat cost? Probably less than RM10. I pressed "1" and "0" and showed to her.
The second rule of the bargain is she will shake her head no matter what price I came out with even if I pressed "2" and "0". The next thing you do is simple. No need to teach. A small kid also know what to do. Chinese has a 36 Greatest Escapes. The first one is "LEAVE". On the third head shake this time by you, I'm sure you will probably get the price you want. I was correct. The lady budged to my offer. Just when you thought you were the winner of the "Battle Of Price Bargain", you will come to sense that you are the loser no matter what. Just answer this question, "Will she sell me something without profits?". Definitely no, right? Therefore, I lost to her. Some comforting words, maybe by a smaller margin.
Damneon Saduak is actually a morning market. It is of no different with the normal wet market. Maybe this is wetter. They sell almost everything. Vege. Fruits. Souvenir. Food. Drinks. Wait. Vege? Come on. Which tourist will come to a country and buy cucumber? And why would the locals find the fuss to pedal a boat just to bargain and buy onion when he/she can get it directly from Tesco. Parking FOC some more. No need to bargain also cheap liao.
I'm sure it used to be one busy and hectic market those days. It is the atmosphere that reminiscent of the days when water transportation is a norm. Here if you go for private boat like mine, there is no safety jacket. And I you are unlucky like me that I am not Michael Phelps then all you need is one thing. PRAY.
Selling fruits and vege is ok for me. When it comes to people actually turning this uncomfortable yet small boat into a kitchen, you will praying again that the hawker doesn't wash the cutlery from the river. Or scooping one cup of water from the river and claim it is teh tarik. The tradition is so important for them until the shop I ate is so stubborn to leave the boat. What? Cooking inside a boat tastes better one meh?
As for me, I prefer to eat on solid platform no matter what.
Thais are very inventive. They turn limited space into good use. This reminds me of another Chinese sayings. Get one inch, want one foot pula. But for the Thais...
Give them one inch they will turn it into one foot.
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