A friend of mine is haunted by a recurring nightmare.

It's called 'I know what you bought last summer'.

Having treated herself to a frightfully expensive dress from a famous store in London to celebrate the end of a glorious Europe-on-a-shoestring trip, only to discover the identical threads at our very own Fashion Street later, she continues to convert pounds to rupees mentally when PMSing.

Most people who buy 'been there done that' T-shirts from London or gift naked lady lighters brought back from Bangkok haven't quite been there or done that.

There's plenty to discover -- art, handicrafts, clothes, trinkets and other surprises, available at surprisingly affordable prices too -- in nooks and crannies around the world.

From bargain paintings at Pont Neuf, Paris, to spice artefacts in Colombo; from the gullies of Colaba to the maze of Chatuchak in Thailand, shopping can be a culturally enriching experience.

With access to the best foreign brands in our neighbourhoods today, it is time we shattered the Indian globe shopper's cliché.

There is life beyond Marks & Spencer and Pat Pong!

Text: Janhavi Acharekar