Edition 35: Summer 2006
In the latest instalment from her Kenyan travel diary, Alison Roberts of Bury St Edmunds, UK, tells us about a shopping experience she’ll never forget.
Whilst in Kenya we quickly found it was essential to haggle to achieve a ‘good’ price when souvenir shopping. Once, I was quoted Ksh 75,000 for a batik I liked ‐ a price you might pay at John Lewis, but not when similar items are piled up row upon row. I was only prepared to pay Ksh1500, knowing that this was still too much, so I made a point of leaving in mock disgust. A little man raced after me and urged me to return tomorrow and ask for Ali.
Intrigued, I did.
“I’ve come to see Ali,” I announced to the shop floor. I was swept hurriedly into a corner and behind a pile of batiks by a young man dressed in tight stonewashed jeans and the ubiquitous faded English premiership top. “Ali’s not here,” he hissed, “but he told me you were coming.”
“I’ve come to buy a batik,” I informed him. “I’ll give you 1500 shillings for it.”
“Have you chosen the one you want?” he enquired.
“It’s that one,” I proclaimed, pointing up at the rafters where a selection were hanging like flags.
“OK, quick, come with me,” he hissed, “the big boss mustn’t see.”
The salesman took the batik down and screwed it up into a ball before heading for the back door. At that point my husband appeared thinking I might be in need of his help with some tricky negotiating. He was right in a way but I don’t think he was anticipating what happened next.
“Put this down here,” the salesman ordered, frantically stuffing the batik down the front of my husband’s trousers before he could realise what was going on, let alone argue. “Now quick, out the back door,” and he shoved us through with one hand whilst grabbing the money with the other.
Since returning to Britain finding a bargain at the sales hasn’t been half as exciting. The batik still hangs on our wall and makes me chuckle when I think about what I did (well, my husband did) for a bargain!
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