What do foreigners hate the most about India?
Beggars
Don’t mean regular beggars on the street. Problem is regular tip beggars everywhere. Indian tip beggars dont understand that this tip should be deserved. It is not granted that if you do some job to white man, for which you had been already paid, he also owes you a tip. Just understand, you have to do your job good for that.
One Delhi cab driver, who was supposed to take me to the airport during prepaid hotel airport shuttle, was late for 30 minutes.After he finally took me to the airport, he started begging for tip. I gave him some, but he begged for more, because ‘it was night time’. It completely pissed me off (it was third such incident that day) and I told him that I am calling hotel reception. Only after that he left me alone.
One Mumbai driver didn’t know path from Colaba to my hotel in Kurla West. He was asking everybody around how to get to the place, and our way took 3 hours instead of 1. No matter, he begged for tip also. This man didnt understand it his fault he doesn’t know how to drive to the place. Why should I pay for this?
I ve noticed that some Indians think that if person is white, he obliged to him his every penny. Just as fact, for nothing.
As*kissing service
It happens in cheap hotels and some restaraunts. Everybody calling you ‘sir’ every second, opening doors in front of you. One guy from UK told me that he once entered public toilet and Indian guy opened toilet cabine door and put down toilet seat for him.
These kind of things makes us feel weird. People dont like being helped like they are handicapped or physically challenged. We only start to suspect you want a tip or cheating at us.
Poor manners
Delhi is number 1 again. People pay no respect to each other. When train stops, people outside dont wait when insiders come out. They just run into the train as whole crowd, like next train never comes. Not always, but seen that several times.
You have wonderful National Zoological Park in Delhi. Our Russian zoos are no way like yours. We have likely 30% species presented in Delhi zoo, due to cold weather and mostly all of them are in heated cells. You have wonderful oppurtunity to observe animals in big open spaces like in nature. Was very inspired seeing animals like hippos, rhinos, black swans, African elephants first time in my life. Indian Government installed security check points so that people cannot bring food and restricted items into the zoo. Somehow people take it through the gate . I saw young men throwing empty Sprite soda cans to a zoo monkey. Monkey ripped it off to get acess to some liquid, operating with its hands and tongue. It looked like it hurt itself, with sharp metallic edges of this can. These people came away just laughing at it.
Even in Indian villages people seem to have much better manners and respect to people around than in your capital.
Barbaric marketing
While in Delhi, people like to visit Connaught place, right? Deadly place for foreign tourists. Every 2 minute some guy runs in front of you to start ‘random’ conversation. He says he is doing nothing, just wasting his time. After short conversation, he suggest you to come to some good shop. He will just show path and go away. Do you think we are idiots, hah? You will get your percent from our spendings in the place.
Spent 10 days in Delhi. Connaught place was annoying me more and more. Last day i came to central park to sit on the grass and have sunbath, like other Indians seeking for privacy. Minute after some guy ran in front of me, shouting loudly to visit his friend travel agency. I was not in mood and told him to leave me alone. He got angry and started yelling at me “You are in my India! I do whatever I want”. I just went away, completely lost hope to find silent corner in Delhi.
© Nikita Tsekhanovich.