Bob's Blog

Sherpa Tax

Black and gold chorten near Kharikhola

Having to haggle over every cup of tea, plate of food, packet of biscuits. You ask a simple question, what's the price? Then comes a big discussion, multiple people involved, i.e. you're getting the inflated tourist price. Usually two thirds more.

Another indication of inflated prices, is when you ask how much something is and they consult the 'menu'. I've learnt as soon as they do that, it is time to muster a polite thank you and exit.

Sometimes I ask the price before being served, though sometimes it's better just to wait and expect them to be honest. Well, I've had enough of doing that. Just got mugged (no pun intended) for a cup of tea, paid what they asked but left in a huff. I didn't know the standard price, otherwise I would have left exactly that.

It is difficult, because you need to know the price and that takes time to learn. Harder still, is that the further from civilisation you are, the higher the standard prices, so it's hard to keep up.

Earlier in the trek, I'd asked to purchase a packet of biscuits. He was trying to charge 100 rupees, when I'd just bought them for 35 rupees. I mentioned this, and he said that must have been a good man who sold them at that price. "Are you not a good man?" I asked. I paid 50 rupees in the end.

It reminds me, at the start of the trek, in Shivalaya (still on the tarmac). The guy in the shop said he was giving me the real prices, like he was doing me a favour. At the time, I thought well ya, you charge the price it is, obviously.