Some of my friends occasionally accuse me of being a troublemaker. I can't think why. In any case, I'm 24, reasonably passable (I think), certainly very confident, and maybe a bit arrogant to boot. I live in Canberra, which is one of those 'in between' cities, where you still have a reasonable chance of running into someone you know, but is big enough that you can be guaranteed that you aren't the strangest one around.

Of course, it's taken me a while to get where I am, at one stage I had to plead with my (now ex) wife to buy me things, as I was simply too scared.

Rule 1 of shopping is simple: You have the money, and are the customer. You will only give the money to the shop assistant if they are courteous and helpful. If they give you trouble, you will no doubt give someone else your money. Money is one of those superb levellers in society, it's amazing how prejudice and ignorance disappear when someone stands to make a profit. Do I sound cynical? I am.

So, in any reasonable sized city, almost all of the shop assistants you come across will be courteous, helpful, and understanding. The obvious exception is when they perceive that other people will avoid their shop because you are there, in this case they stand to lose money, so they may turn awfully nasty.

There's a standard range of excuses that spring to mind when you walk into a shop to buy obviously female things. It's very tempting to say 'They're for my wife/mother/great aunt/etc'. This invariably works. Even if the shop assistant knows full well that the goods are for you, he or she will accept your excuse with a smile. The usual springing phrase is the old 'oh, about my size' :)

The one that made me give up on this ruse was when I went to a makeup counter (yes, they're in the ACT section of the guide) in boy mode and asked for foundation. The lovely girls' instant response was 'certainly, what skin type are you?'. So I told her, and for the first time, bought makeup that actually suited me. Needless to say, this is one of the places I now frequent.

In any case, if you aren't keen about doing the deed yourself, you can always con someone else into buying you things. I had great fun one evening with a cross dressing friend while he bought me lots and lots of stuff (I was being girly, as usual, and he was being boyish), of course, afterwards I had to give it all back (sigh). Everyone simply assumed that the clothes were for me, and that I was being spoilt. Girlfriends etc, if accepting, can also be really helpful.

I find that it's usually easier to go 'enfemme' when you want to try things on etc, as if you're half way passable, nobody will so much as look twice. The sight of a truck driver type trying on a pair of heels is likely to raise a few eyebrows, but so what? No one is likely to be nasty.

The businesses we've included here are ones that have gained special mention. Most places, when it gets right down to it, are tranny friendly. These ones are especially so. They tend to be Meccas for the local tranny population.

In any case, be polite, be cool, and enjoy yourself. You have just as much right to be there as anyone else.

One thing I've noticed, especially recently, with travelling up to Sydney regularly and having time to look around, is that entire areas, rather than just specific shops, can be tranny friendly. The obvious place I'm referring to is Darlinghurst, or at least the Darlinghurst end of Oxford street, and immediate environs. I mean, this place has to be the queer capital of the world. They have queer friendly bookshops, clothes shops, cafes galore, you name it, it's in Darlinghurst. Of course, a couple of places rate special mention. With these ones, it's mostly my own contribution, as Sydney trannies seem to be rather slack.