I have discussed with several travelers I met along my journey. We were talking about how much is enough? I really don't mind paying more than the locals. Well after all, we are tourists and our economic development is much better than them.But I think charging the price higher for tourists can be for survival or just purely greed. However, that is such a thin fine line and who can know? And what cause the locals to cheat tourists' money, I feel, is because they think that all those countries we came from are rich places and the people there are so rich that paying that extra amount means nothing at all. Well, their idea: as long as you are a tourists and can get to travel, you are rich...that simple. Just like if we pay that extra 1 dollar, it means 10 dollars in their eyes. For this, I can fully understand. Nevertheless, it is very wrong to think that all tourists are idiots. I just cannot swallow my pride of being cheated, I think.
Anyway, think it is inevitable that we, as tourists pay more to the locals. But helping the poor is one thing and satisfying greed is another. I just don't feel comfortable knowing the fact that I paid so much more than a local.I was hitching a ride down from the border of Lao Cai to Hanoi. I was asked to pay 200,000D for the 8 hours ride and I soon found out the locals pay 50,000D. That was a great hell load of difference!! I was shocked, yet I just have to swallow down. Every time when I know I was cheated, I can't help but to feel the anger burning. And again, every time after my anger disappeared, I will ask myself whether I will do the same thing if I am in their shoes, or if I am in the same living conditions as theirs…this cycle always continues.
Street hawkers in Vietnam
So, is it about integrity or survival? How much does integrity cost? Well, if you can't even feed a family, then why bothers about integrity? Afterall, the ultimate goal of their lives is to survive.
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