A Polish woman who has been living in India for the past 10 years has shared a list of things she would never do as a first-time traveller in the country. From avoiding tap water and unmetered taxis to not starting with the spiciest street food, her practical advice has caught the attention of social media users.
In an Instagram video titled, “Things I would never do as a foreigner coming to India for the first time,” Dominika Patalas-Kalra shared the precautions she believes first-time visitors should take while travelling in India. “Practical advices as a foreigner staying since 10 years in India,” she wrote in the caption of the post before listing 8 suggestions for first-time travellers.
(Also Read: Foreigner says she felt less stressed using phone in India than in London: ‘Never had that watch your stuff feeling’)
Her list of dos and don’ts
Her piece of advice to avoid drinking tap water. “Even locals in many places use filtered or boiled water. Stick to sealed bottled water or water from trusted filters,” she wrote.
Dominika also suggested that first-time visitors avoid starting their trip with the spiciest street food. “Indian street food is fantastic, but give your stomach time to adjust. Start at busy, popular stalls,” she said.
Another piece of advice was to avoid getting into an unmetered taxi without first agreeing on the fare. Instead, she recommended using ride-hailing apps such as Uber, Ola and Rapido wherever available.
The Polish woman also advised against carrying large amounts of cash. “Digital payments are common, but it’s useful to carry a small amount of cash for markets and small vendors,” she wrote.
She further suggested that visitors should not dress “exactly as they would for a beach holiday.” “You can see that it is 40 degrees and you want to wear clothes like for the beach? I would suggest lightweight clothing, but in a decent way,” she said.
Dominika also reminded travellers to check local customs before entering temples or homes, as they may be expected to remove their shoes or cover their heads at certain religious sites.
She also urged visitors not to assume traffic works the same way as it does in Europe or North America. “Always look both ways – even on one-way streets. Pedestrians do not always have priority,” she said.
Her final tip was to avoid feeding monkeys or stray animals. “Monkeys can become aggressive if they expect food, and stray animals may carry diseases,” she said.
(Also Read: ‘Bangalore liveable, minus the traffic’: Foreigner’s praise for city’s lifestyle goes viral)
Social media reactions
Reacting to the post, one user wrote, “”As an Indian, I will also recommend these to the foreign visitors and beware of scammers; they will try to exploit your money anyhow, so it’s better to research online from local vloggers, which can help you not get exploited by them.”
“Keep the standard high, and these small things disappear,” commented another.
