1 . In China, tourist attractions often charge too much, with providers making use of foreign tourists’ lack of knowledge to charge visitors unusual prices.     1    . Here are some tips.

It’s good to do some research about the place you are going on your trip and which goods are its specialties, which prepares you well to bargain (讨价还价). It helps to read others’ tips and experiences and do price comparisons on websites.    2    .

Being in a rush gets the bargainer in trouble. Time is not on your side. The provider has all the time in the world, and can sell that thing tomorrow.    3    . If you can, plan ahead, take your time and don’t be rushed. If the seller isn’t coming down on the item you want, walk away.

Walking away works very well in big tourist places. If the price is still too high, you give your final offer and walk away slowly while looking at other things. You will usually be called back.

    4    

Typically, if shopping for things which are not expensive, you can try to go 25 to 50 percent of the asking price. If the thing is very expensive, it’s better to start lower. Just say 10 percent of the asking price, so you have more room to bargain.

    5    . You’ll hear everything from “Now my child won’t have any dinner”, to “You are getting this for less than I paid for it!” These are lies. The seller is making a profit, so don’t worry. They are not going to sell you anything out of the goodness of their heart. It’s a game and it’s fun to play. So play right back and say something like, “Yes, but now I can’t afford to have any dinner, either!”

3 . What shouldn’t I do in London?

Visit the Natural History Museum during the school holidays

Children love dinosaurs.     1    . The Natural History Museum is really the best museum in the world, and frankly I would live in it if I could. But unfortunately, it is too popular.

Alternative: Absolutely anything else you can think of. Even visit Madame Tussauds.

Visit Oxford Street

    2    . But there are fewer senior citizens going for a jog, 20 million more people actually visiting, no parking, higher prices and no climate control.

    3    

London is a big city, but it is smaller than you imagine. The underground is a good way of getting from one side to the other. But if you are a tourist, make most of your trips on foot.

Ask anyone if they know the Queen

“Oh, you’re American, do you know Barack Obama?” sounds a bit ridiculous, doesn’t it?     4    . More than 60 million people live in the UK, and over eight million of those live in Greater London alone. Britain may look small on a map, but it definitely is not once you get here.

Make conversation with strangers on the underground

See these guys here? They have their eyes shut, on a recycled London Metro newspaper, their phones, the awful adverts, or on the door.     5    .