Travelling often comes with unexpected adventures, but for one Canadian tourist, a trip to India's capital turned into an experience he says he would rather forget. In a candid video that has been making rounds on social media, travel creator Steve, known online as Jetlag Warriors, opened up about the frustrations he faced while exploring Delhi with his family.
Steve's trip filled with frustration
In a video shared on April 28, Steve described feeling exhausted by what he perceived as constant attempts to overcharge or mislead him during his stay in Delhi. While he stressed that he doesn't usually judge an entire country based on one city, he admitted that his experience in the capital tested that belief.
Reflecting on the trip, he said, “Now I'm not the type of person to go to a city and then say, well, I'll never go back to that country, but my experience in Delhi, India, was as close as I've ever gotten to having that feeling cross my head, and it's because of the incessant lying every day.”
According to Steve, what troubled him most was not just the alleged scams themselves, but what he felt was a casual attitude toward dishonesty. Recalling interactions with locals, he claimed, “They would smile, and they would say, 'Yeah, I'm always lying to you.' No guilt, no remorse, not even an indication that dishonesty is a bad behaviour.”
He further added, “It's like every time I reach for my wallet, I'm getting scammed. In Delhi, India, looking someone in the eye and telling them something you know to be untrue is part of the negotiation process. It's a cultural norm, and it is so tiresome.”
Mumbai changed his perception
Despite his disappointment with Delhi, Steve revealed that his family's journey through India took a more positive turn after they decided to travel elsewhere. His wife had long believed that experiences in different parts of India could vary significantly, particularly between the north and the south.
The family eventually headed to Mumbai, where Steve said the atmosphere felt noticeably different from the moment they arrived. In a new post, he revealed being particularly impressed by interactions with local taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers.
According to the traveller, drivers politely offered rides but accepted refusals without argument or pressure. He noted that the simple act of being left alone after declining services made a strong impression on him and contributed to a far more relaxed experience in the city.
