Continuing from my previous article, I’ll report on the experience of following a suspicious guide in Tunisia, which resulted in unexpected high expenses.
You can read the previous article here
A New Adventure at the Perfume Shop
While the excitement of purchasing the carpet had yet to cool down, the young man suggested, “Let’s go to a perfume shop next.”
This wasn’t an ordinary perfume store. It specialized in perfume essences. Inside, over 200 different essences were on display. According to the young man, even luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Hermès sourced their ingredients from here.
Indeed, the bottles were labeled with renowned brand names
“Would such prestigious brands really come to buy ingredients from this nameless shop in the middle of a souk?”
Despite thinking this, the story had some logic to it. Tunisia was formerly a French territory. The idea that French luxury brands might come to Tunisia seeking high-quality fragrances wasn’t entirely far-fetched.
The shop owner explaining the essence extraction method
Immersion in the World of Fragrances
Listening to the explanations from the shop assistant and the young guide, I tried various scents. As I compared them, I began to discern the subtle differences between each fragrance. Indeed, there was a deep world of scents that one couldn’t experience in an ordinary perfume shop.
However, I had just made a large expenditure at the carpet shop. I couldn’t buy too many. Each 30ml bottle cost about $15. While thinking it was a bit expensive, I planned to buy just two bottles. As if seeing through my thoughts:
“Aren’t you buying any for your family?”
I was taken aback by the shop assistant’s sudden question. Indeed, perfume would make good souvenirs for my family and friends back in my home country. But such expensive ones…
“Specially for you, take 10 bottles for the price of 6.”
Tired of thinking, I ended up selecting 10 bottles.
– Essence used in Louis Vuitton (or so I was told)
– Essence used in Hugo Boss (or so I was told)
– Essence used in Gucci (or so I was told)
– And a rather sensual scent that the shopkeeper described as “Bunga Bunga”…
In this manner, I purchased 10 bottles based on their interesting and unique qualities. It was a purchase made with mixed feelings—a lingering bad taste and the expectation that “maybe I’ve found something special.”
I selected 10 interesting bottles and brought them back home
An Unexpected Ending
As lunchtime approached, we decided to part ways with the young man. He gave us his WhatsApp contact information and said, “If you have any questions, feel free to contact me anytime.”
Finally, when I tried to give him a tip for guiding us, he declined, saying, “Your appreciation is enough, thank you.”
At this moment, I was a bit confused.
He must be receiving a commission from the carpet shop and perfume shop. That’s why he guided us through the souk and encouraged us to make purchases. Despite being such a business-minded guide, why did he refuse a tip from me?
Perhaps it wasn’t just business, but there was some genuine kindness as well?
Subsequent Revelations and Realizations
As I later discovered, there were many shops in the souk selling similar perfume essences for less than half the price. I had clearly overpaid.
But strangely, I don’t regret it.
Enjoying conversations with the shop assistants and the young guide while carefully selecting fragrances—that experience itself remains as a memorable part of my trip. While I did spend extra money, it doesn’t feel like a wasted expenditure.
Travel Lessons
All in all, it was an enjoyable experience despite being overcharged. I’m very grateful to Mouin who guided us this time.
Getting scammed while traveling abroad might be something of an inevitability.
But being overly cautious about such experiences might be a loss in a different sense. It could mean closing yourself off from new encounters and experiences.
It’s certainly frustrating to pay more than the market price. But such experiences are strongly etched in memory and become stories to tell for years to come. The equation “scam = bad” doesn’t necessarily hold true.
The overpriced Tunisian carpet that now adds color to my daily life
In my case, the carpet is still laid out in my living room. The perfume essences were given as gifts to family and friends, who were delighted to receive them (of course, when I mentioned that they might be ingredients used in Hermès perfumes, they laughed it off as a joke). Perhaps I gained memories and stories worth more than the price I paid.
Sometimes, accepting a “getting scammed experience” at your travel destination as part of the travel adventure isn’t so bad.
Nevertheless, one should be careful of excessively high demands or obvious fraud. A balance between reasonable caution and a sense of adventure might be the key to a fulfilling journey.
