Around the World in 80 Trades

2009 · 30m · Documentary

Episodes

▶1. Africa30m · Conor starts the first leg of his journey in Sudan where he hopes to buy camels and take them up one of the world's oldest trade routes along the Nile to Egypt. Despite his City knowledge, he soon discovers that international trade is a lot harder on the ground - as he's given a hostile reception by the camel traders. Thinking perhaps it's time he invested in a more familiar commodity, Conor purchases two tonnes of Zambian coffee. It's a far cry from the coffee shops of the Square Mile, but Conor's sure he can make a decent profit on the South African market.▶2. Central Asia30m · The Asia leg of his journey starts in Delhi, where he has an audacious plan to sell 4,000 bottles of South African chilli sauce to the Indians. His next scheme is horse trading. Conor thinks he can make a handsome profit buying horses in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan, but he's not reckoned on the cut-throat dealers at the market. Bruised but not defeated, he crosses the border into China, where he invests £5,000 in a lump of jade and tries to sell his shipment of South African red wine to the newly wealthy middle classes in Shanghai. However, Conor soon discovers that, although the Chinese have developed a taste for wine, it's French wine they really go mad for.▶3. The Far East30m · The third leg of his adventure begins back in China where he picks up his newly carved piece of jade. It has cost him £5,000 so far but he's confident he can treble his investment by selling to a rich collector in Taiwan. Bids come thick and fast, but Conor wants to hold out for a top dollar price. Will he come to regret his confident approach? Next stop is Japan, and Conor decides premium quality tea from the highlands of Taiwan is what the Japanese are crying out for. That might be true, but Japanese bureaucracy means Conor can't set up a market stall and he's reduced to approaching people in the street. Things are going badly and he gambles on selling freshly caught fish. He negotiates a deal with a local fisherman, fishes all day and drives through the night to a giant sushi market. His perseverance pays off as Conor sells his fish - but for how much?▶4. Central and South America30m · In Mexico, Conor has 750 inflatable body-boards and reckons an endorsement from Mexico's most famous surfer will help them sell. Meanwhile, he hopes to sell 400 bottles of tequila, bought in the actual town of Tequila, for a sizeable mark up. He then decides to gamble on Brazilian teak, but the economic downturn has meant hard times for the UK house builders he plans to sell it to. At the end of his journey, Conor discovers just how much of a profit he's made - or how dearly this adventure has cost him.

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