Tip

As a rule, I'm a complete idiot when it comes to giving tips. In restaurants I'll always leave one whether I've had good service or not. And I'll also leave one even if there's an automatic service charge. It's stupid but I hate the idea of being thought of as being 'tight'. And, hey, the waitress was probably doing her best and it's the bosses I really blame, etc. etc. Taxi drivers are the same: why on earth do I give them more than they've asked for? All they've done is drive me from A to B which, doh!, is their job! I've even tipped a plumber for coming round and fixing a leaky tap. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

No such problem in China though. We had a really good meal the other night in Chengdu and, like you do, we left a modest tip and thought no more about it as we left. We were a full two hundred yards down the street outside when we heard "Hallo! Hallo!" being shouted behind us. Here was our waitress clutching the twenty yuan note desperate to give it back. It's simply not the done thing here to leave tips. And I, for one, am very glad that that's the case.