Haggling

So, in Xi'an, Rosie spots a lovely 'Mulberry' handbag on a stall in the market. She wants it, she must have it. Thinking back to the advice given to us by Scott and Kirsten back in Beijing, we begin our haggling...or not.

The trick, so they explained, is to simply decide what you want to pay for something, tell them and each time they lower their opening offer, you just keep repeating your price. If they won't go down, walk away. If they don't want to lose a sale, they'll follow you and keep going lower - if not, then you simply don't want it.

Not wishing to part with more than 10 pounds, Rosie's opening offer of 100 Yuan was met with confusion as the lady held up her calculator showing 380 (£38). Over and over we repeated 100, 100, 100. The vendor tutted, moaned, made yelps in pain as her fingers punched increasingly lower amounts into her pocket Casio, subtracting 10%, dividing the difference, "final offer, final offer!"

Persistence won and Rosie now struts around proudly with her £10, 100 Yuan handbag.

The same technique worked for a miniature terracotta warrior figure - The opening offer, 160 Yuan (£16), we walk away with it for 30 (£3).

A seventy pound 'North Face' rucksack? Mine for £13.50.

After almost a month in China, I think we're learning the ways!