In Reply to: Hawkers. posted by Bob Bali on Tuesday, 23. May 2006 at 13:26 Bali Time:
All a lot of fun if you have a smile and a joke ready!
One man saw I had a handful of DVD's and offered 'stick' dvds. I asked him to repeat the offer, then repeat again (for effect). He then said 'porn'. I crossed my fingers, said 'bad man, bad man'. Every day he'd call out to sell something else; watches, bags, sarongs. I'd cross my fingers at him and we'd laugh.
I also 'growled' the men offering 'Bali boy'. Again, after passing them a few times and knowing they'd get the same, we'd have a bit of banter and a laugh.
I really tore into the guy offering marijuana though. He won't do that to me again! He saw my mean side LOL
All along Poppies 2, the section between Benesari Lane and JL Legian I used to avoid because I just wanted to walk from A to B. Now I am able to dawdle and have a bit of a natter to locals without being pressured to buy anything. I have my favourite shops. "Crook!! 800.000rp?! Do I look Japanese?". On my last day in Kuta, when I said my goodbyes, he gave me a free necklace. I'll always go back to him :-)
I was having a meal and one of the little boys selling braided leather wristbands haggled '7 for 5.000rp'. I came back with deal of the century...'How about 1 for 5.000rp?'. He got ready to haggle...thought about what I'd just said...and burst out laughing. Made became my dinner partner every night after that :-) and sometimes dragged his mates along for nasi goreng and a sprite.
I don't like the whingey hawkers who complain I didn't get my nails done with them, I mean really complain and whine! eg across the road from the Memorial.
Other than that, it's alot of fun and part of the experience.