Twenty years ago for me. So much has changed in the world. probably apples/oranges too much now to be real relevant.
However.
I always dress to blend in, I am of mixed races anyway, so have none of the “western tourist” triggers that seem to catch out other people. This doesn’t work behind customs of course, but even there I treat the whole thing so casually and look less then affluent, if they say wait I wait patiently unless I can not, which is where BEFOREHAND I put the ten bucks in my passport, but if I just waited without looking worried, they waved me on.
Except the places which obviously I came across, where everyone is given an “airport charge” but that isn’t any different to the same thing which is done in London and Sydney, except for the final recipients of the “tax”. By missing the western triggers, I was talking about the outside the official system kinda “freelance” baksheesh where westerners get picked out for attention.
I study short local phrases for needs, look reserved and taciturn, nod, or shake my head, and got very few requests for baksheesh. Or any other kind of problem. shrug ymmv
