Holiday shopping Mistakes
Here are a few of mine-
1, Istanbul tall lamp. I toured the Grand Bazaar many times and then haggled extensively to get the exact coloured glass shades that I wanted. Finally price agreed and I was free to take my purchase home. It was a huge and heavy bundle consisting of a box of glass and a large metal frame wrapped in black bin bags that not only looked ridiculous but I struggled to carry. The haggling with the merchant was nothing compared with the debate with the airline to let it on the plane! Eventually I did though I enjoyed it's beauty for a couple of years in Warwickshire before the lamp had to move home again. Shipped to Dubai amongst furniture and shoes, it now looks slightly less at home in our very contemporary lounge. How funny did I find it though to find the very same lamp available in all of the souks here.
2, Marrakech rug. Better known in my house as the 'rug of death' as every time someone stepped on it, the grip was lost on the floor underneath and balance was tested. A group of friends and I went on a day shopping in wonderful Marrakech. I went into the rug shop with no need nor desire to buy a rug. However after being plied with tea (which I hate) and biscuits I appeared to forget who I was and parted with several hundred pounds for a "beautifully hand made, genuine wool" rug in a size big enough to carpet an entire lounge. Too heavy to lift and carry, I parted with yet more money to have it shipped to UK. I was delighted when it arrived at my house in Yorkshire. Until the first slip. By the 3rd slip the rug was relegated into a largely unused room, and it didn't make the cut when it came to shipping to Dubai. I think it's now flooring in another friend's tent!
3, Dubai camel. On my very first trip to Dubai in 2002 I decided I loved the place and I didn't want to leave. I'd done little shopping though surprisingly for me, so at the airport it was important to me to buy a souvenir of the trip. Sand pictures, fake handbags and pashminas were everywhere but really not what I wanted. So I was delighted when I found in a 'high end' gift store some ornamental camels made from camel hair and decorated with blankets and baskets just like we had seen on the beach. I chose one with a friendly face and home with me he went. How I have been mocked about my 'trashy' ornament since then. It appears this is the tackiest possible item to buy and I'd him proudly displayed for years. I did bring him home to Dubai...but he hides away in a bedroom to avoid being mocked again!
4, Spanish cheese knife. Wandering around the small streets of Nerja for about the 100th time on one of my many visits I found a shop I hadn't seen before with lots of lovely trinkets and niknaks in the window. Particulartly eye catching was a stainless steel knife in the shape of a mouse. But shop was closed so I had to return the next day en route to the airport because I NEEDED that knife. For a frequent traveller though I had forgotten a basic fact: I was flying with hand luggage only. On arrival at the airport still happy with my early shopping experience, I turned red in the face when asked if I had any banned items in my bags. That knife was not getting on the plane. Fortunately my mum lives near Nerja and was able to purchase a second knife for me which was successfully shipped to England and then later it was shipped to Dubai. I don't even eat that much cheese!
Fortunately I've made some good decisions too and have lots of fun reminders of my amazing trips. Hopefully I'll collect more over the years to come on many more adventures.