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The Biggest TKMax in the world
Entry 8 of 18 | show all | print this entry |
First of all I'd like to say sorry my updates have been a bit miserable lately, I guess I've let the depressing things get a bit too depressing; but don't worry I am having a great tile and am not a miserable wreck.
For quite a while I've been puzzled by the t-shirts people where here, they are obviously second hand but there are some gems, There most funny when you're walking through the market, knackered hot and sweaty and longing for a coke when you see one and it just makes you laugh, a few of the ones I've seen in the last few days, Big macho men wearing "Dove body cream, for baby soft cream" or " ASDA ROLL BACK, WERE HERE TO HELP", There are some I really want to get my hands on with stuff like "Wetherspoons Security" on them. They are all real and I figured they must have been shipped out here and given away, I couldn't workout where though.
A while ago two of the teachers at the British School invited me along to the clothes market and it all became clear. They warned me that I might get a bit bored and was free to take" a taxi home whenever I wanted; I reckoned after many a trip with my sister and mother when I was younger I could handle anything. Wellwellwell, We went on a Monday morning just after they had received there deliveries, and it is a fairly normal market for Togo, lots of wooden shack type things sprawling, instead of food, all sorts of clothes where on sail, from baby clothes to dress-shirts. There where also mounds of clothes all over the place which you where meant to dive into, wasn't too keen on that, once you found something you liked the fun started and you had to start haggling. There is some class stuff there, loads of designer labels, some funny t-shirts and ridiculously cheap.
Basically I think I'm right in saying the goods where given to charity shops in the UK, which then send it to developing countries where it is sold, it seems its not only stuff they cant sell, but then I think big chains (WHSmiths, JD Wetherspoons, ASDA, McD's) donate used Corporate rubbish too.
There where are few dilemmas in my head about buying goods sold ridicously cheap, which where given to charity, but then again were given the people who buy the bundles a living as I'm almost always being ripped off, so I decided it was ok!!
One of the best bits is the sellers don't really know the difference in the labels, so as I'm haggling for a FCUK t-shirt, starting price 1pound, got it down to 50p, you've got to smile when the market guy tries to persuade me I do in fact want a Take That 2002 tour t-shirt instead.
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On that note you obviously have to haggle for almost everything here, I'm turning into a bit of an actor, when I go to hire a taxi you follow a routine of laughing at the first price, acting offended at the second and then bidding in and working your way up. I think I'm getting a bit of a name in the taxi rank opposite where I live as the taxi drivers now just kinda see me and start at an ok price, they obviously see me and think "not that tight English student again"
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I'm going to Benin (country next door) on Tuesday I think, I'm feeling quite excited about travelling again, I don't know what it is but its quite cool leaving your country travelling half way round the world seeing so many different and shocking things, and still when you go to a cyber cafe they put on "wetwetwet greatest hits-the panpipe version" just because!!
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| 8. | The Biggest TKMax in the world - Lomé, Togo Jul 31, 2004 |
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