Seriously, I was tortured by these people. Every step I took someone was trying to get cash off me, trying to recommend a rip-off place or trying to get me on a tuk tuk.

When on the tuk tuk they take you to places you don't even want to go. Places supposedly closed etc, I found them a constant harassment.

The final straw was when the local law student (who, incidentally, knew nothing about Thai law when asked) ended up being the same guy taking me to the airport. Needless to say, he didn't get a tip and was lucky to be paid.

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At the base of the funicular in Montmartre, if a man carrying some bits of coloured string approaches you and asks you to hold out your hand, he is about to (albeit pretty skilfully) weave you a “good luck” bracelet, indulge in some tired patter - “You got boyfriend?” “You and your boyfriend make jiggy jiggy, yeah?” - and charge you ten, yes ten, flipping Euros for about two minutes' work.

“But just ‘cause you’re English, and I like English. Americans and Italians, I charge them 20."

I encountered them near the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre, but wouldn't be surprised if they were elsewhere.

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If you get on a bus from Bangkok or get in a 'bargain' moto, of course you are being scammed, just roll with it. If you think about how rich we are in comparison and how much you are actually being scammed by, it's never that much. After all who is going to need that money more? Besides, it can work to everyone's advantage. My friend and I were on a bus from Bangkok that took us (after 18 hours) to a guesthouse just outside Siem Reap centre called the D&D Angkor Villa. It was run by a friendly family who took us round the wats, into town whenever we wanted, fed us, had pleasant rooms and it turned out to be half the price we were expecting to pay. It was worth the uncomfortable bus journey which most people have to do anyway. This one is not that much of a 'scam' anyway, the buses drop at the guesthouses who give up their staff as drivers or guides on the journey. It's a fair exchange, don't get angry with them.

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Emeralds are one of Colombia’s natural riches and a great temptation for bargain hunters. However, inferior stones can be passed off onto unsuspecting gringos with ease if you don’t know your stuff, so go for reputable outlets or avoid altogether.

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