I would certainly regard 200 euros per vehicle as obcene, which is the amount some border guards have demanded. Likewise Guides on the Atlantic route are now demanding 15o-250 euros per group for 2 days work. I don't know what that relates to in local terms but I suspect it is several months average pay. On the subject of relative value your absolutely right. A small amount to us is a large amount to the locals, and there lies another problem. If not even that many people give out what seems like relatively small amounts of money you can cause significant distortion of local economies. Also why go to work (and produce actual wealth for the economy)when you can earn more by begging?
I have no real objection to rewarding such things as help or assistance (although it was noticably lacking from the Morrocan who nearly wrecked my vehicle when I gave him a tow) but rewarding begging is wrong by virtually any argument I can think of.
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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014
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