I am one of those people who firmly believe in that when you don’t shop at 50% off, you save 100% of the money. I can’t think when I last wrote, if ever, about shopping on this blog. But this recent trip to Thailand changed my views a bit. In fact before heading out my sister said she would give me some money so that I could shop for her and I told her I am not going to shop from a repeat destination.
Don’t get me wrong, I do buy things on my trips. But I do it like a chore. A dress or two for daughter and niece, a dress or a bag for my sister, t-shirts for nephews. I try to buy similar clothes for my daughter and niece, other wise they fight. They are 6 and 9 years old. I buy similar clothes for my two nephews otherwise they fight, they work and are in their 20s. Usually there is nothing for husband and me. I have now started buying fridge magnets too. That would sum up my shopping. It hurts to shop when the currency is as strong as the Jordanian Dinar, it hurts much less when I shopped in Baht.
But on the recent trip to Thailand I had colleagues who were really enthusiastic about shopping. Maansi told me there was a sale going on right in the complex where we were attending the TTM 2014. The next day she took me around as well. Then there was Rohit whose shopping bags were an inspiration. I still didn’t think much about it. But then we were dropped to MBK Mall and suddenly I realized that the prices were really low compared to India, I started buying things. And some of the stuff really nice.
I ended up with buying much more than what is customary. Among other things there was a small backpack for my daughter which has a stuffed toy (Dora the Explorer) attached to it. She was so thrilled to have it. I bought two handbags in addition as gifts.
The time of reckoning came when I started packing for home. For the first time in my life I was scared that I might be having excess luggage. I do not want to spend my money for paying excess baggage charges to airlines. In all my trips in the past, the issue never raised its head. I would put my bag confidently on the weighing machine at the counter and not even give a glance to the numbers flashing up! In this trip it was 20.5. The nice lady at the Thai Airways counter said nothing to the extra .5 kg. But whenever I go next, I am going to take less stuff from home and shop more! And I can’t believe that I said it!
I love shopping :-D….and these are looking so adorable in your pics…:-)
Maniparna while I don’t but Thailand was different!
No trip is completed without shopping , especially ladies 🙂
Hey this post was mostly about not shopping! 😀
I am just like you! I would rather spend that money and time on doing something… but yes some places like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the US can be really amazing to shop in.
Yes Chaitali and this has been my first brush with it 😀
Good to know that you had a total shopping fiesta in Thailand. 🙂
Ha ha Nikhil and I will plan a bigger one whenever I go next.
its really good to purchase in abroad, because price will be comparatively high in India..!!!
Not everywhere, the currency exchange can be so unfavorable at so many places.
Even I’m a shopping freak….. The doll with pink frock and red hair really scary 😀
I didn’t buy it Bhavani. 😀
Nice pictures Mridula 🙂 I am very calculative in spending money on shopping as you are! I do shop for my family in the same way like you 🙂 So, will keep your words in my mind, Hope it will be useful sometimes in future 🙂
Regards,
Sindhu
Tantu
The Arts & Me
Thank you Sindhu.
I still remember the shopping spree we had at the Indra mall in Bangkok and the bargain hunting we did on the streets of Phuket. What tickled us most was the habit of shopkeeper to show the price on a calculator. I wonder if they still do the same.. ?
Prasad some of them do show it on calculators still.
Kalpana and then came Thailand which changed my perception 😀
not a big fan of shopping 🙂 .. I prefer to see places as these days we can get same things anywhere , so not a big deal 🙂
Bikram
Bikram but Thailand is different 😛
Can’t survive with out shopping *Guilty face* …. visiting Thailand and not shopping is a sin 😛 😛
Still remember haggling around the streets of night market and shopping at indra mall , where shopkeepers have also learnt hindi .. thanks to so many Indians visiting Thailand 😀