Lone traveller in India..

Hello Amelia 😊

You will certainly find travelling alone in India, especially as a western female a lot more difficult than travelling in Thailand, especially in the north of India. But do it anyway, while taking precautions such as dressing conservatively.

I have been in a couple of slums in India. I dont find them particularly dangerous. But, be sure to go only during daylight hours.

Mel Reply to this

hi millie.
I am Jitu, 23, male,engineering student from India, mumbai city. I just read ur topic in India Forum.
I know about the slums and other good places in Mumbai. you know that Mumbai has the Asia's largest slum. Even i am interested in slums and their life..but i never tried exploring it as all my friends think slum are bad. And i dont like traveling alone.

My holidays r going on, so i can accompany you in Mumbai.
Its better not to visit slums alone, it can be little dangerous. u can never predict the slum people.

if u are interested or have any query just contact me at
take care.

jitu

Reply to this

Hi. As someone who has lived in Bombay for more than 20 odd years I would strongly advise you to avoid visiting slums all alone. You could go in a group. I believe these "slum tours" are organised by quite a few travel agents.

Reason is there are all sorts of people living there & while most of them are honest, hard working people, it just takes one crazy mind to spoil the experience. If you go in a group the slum dewllers are generally fascinated by all the attention & you will find them to be some of the friendliest people on this earth.

And yes, you will have to be a bit careful even otherwise, since you are a single female. And do not show much skin. Wherever you are going make sure its not deserted & that there are people around. Better to be safe. Dont mean to scare you or anything but precautions are always advisable. If you follow this you should have a blast. Take care & enjoy the experience. Reply to this

im 25 and last year traveled alone in India. I never had any problem with people stealing from me and really it's all just stuff anyway.
The problem I foresee involves something a lot more precious- your body.
I experience countless minor sexual assaults and two more serious. BE careful dont trust ANY men. even when they seem to be a nice one who is doing you a favor, says he is married and deeply religious- you must assume he will force himself on you at some point. (one day i was even touched up by a police man and another the hotel manager)
Men will touch your bum and breast in crowded places, give you"the handshake"*, masturbate by your window and grab you and kiss you. Im respectful in my dress and often wore a head scarf but it doesn't matter as soon as they see my white skin, green eyes and free life style they assume im easy.
I believe that the majority of the assaults are innocent folly from silly men who have nothing to lose but some times I have been shocked and scared by the lengths they will go to touch you.

Dont let this put you off. It is hard to be a lone traveler as people always tag along (even in the remote places)

*The handshake - this is were a man goes to shake your hand like normal but instead bends in his index finger and violently wiggles it in your palm. this is basically his way of saying Im going to F**k you. if this happens don't worry about offending the man just pull your hand away and tell him not to do that as women don't like it.
if your felt up- try to grab the offenders hand and if you can, call over a policeman (although be careful as they do badly beat the men for this offense and thats not always what he deserves.)

really really really this is the biggest problem I came up against as a female on my own. but if you have your wits about youll be fine.

ally

Reply to this

Also, a Lonely Planet guide for India is a useful item, to give information about safety and customs. It is available in most bookshops around the world and on the internet. It costs around 40 Euros, but is worth it for the information it gives, in my opinion. You could also probably find one secondhand.

U can see the racist attacks on Indians in Australia...few do it...but the whole country gets the bad image.

I was shocked by that when I read about it on the news. Australia used to be a place where hardly any news about abusing people came from. It seems to be getting quite tense there, with this and also the news about them building up their army and weapons stocks to defend against what they see as a thread by Islamic terrorists. Sad to see Australia in the news for such bad things these days.


Mel Reply to this

.....our "loose" reputation isn't such a fantastic thing is it!

As if that is not bad enough, there is now a rumour that there are now female sex tourists going to various parts of the world looking for ''action''. I was in India last month, and when some Indian guy would try to get my attention, this is what came into my mind. :D Reply to this

Hi Millie how you doing.

Just a quick on to say well done for your braveness for this adventure. I also am touring the place alone for a fortnight in August and cannot wait! I have a lot, but so little actually planned and im so scared, but scared as in that rollercoaser scared you get! Its going to be amazing.

Just wanted to say thanks for your post cos although the info. is directed to a one female traveller, i have found it very enlighting and useful to. ill have to go get my lonely panet book this week!!

hopeully i shouldnt have too many problems being touched up by indian men but i would love to visit the slums too, but think it might be best to see if there are any other travellers i meet there to do it with.

this is my first experience of travelling at all, i have never even ventured past Spain so fingers crossed i will survive out there.... even if i am being a bit crazy! haha.

Simon

Reply to this

thank you mel, i just might take you up on that offer

simon Reply to this

im not sure but feel jitu007 is suggesting that i am insinuating a racial attack on Indians. well let me clear the air for anyone who misunderstands advice based on personal experience for advise guessed from prejudice.
(This have nothing to do with Australia, i have never been there (although it sounds wonderful) and i live in asia with no tv so dont get to see much news)
all im saying is... from experience of traveling the length of India and Nepal twice over the course of two years, I came across countless sexual assaults. I am well presented and decently dressed and some times even deliberately ugly in presentation but still it happened. now as much as I would love to believe i am irresistible to men, this is not the case and yet India and Nepal were hard to travel alone but purely on a sexual basis. I met only few men who did not try something and each time i trusted some one with my safety i ended up kicking my self when ,yet again, i was touched, forcibly kissed, masturbated over or push down an alley and struggled for my dignity. of course not all Indian men are like this but please take heed. the culture is different and some indian men (in india) think that "no" means "yes" and "Im married" means "please touch my tits". Im not trying to put a whole culture down...i love india...but this is the advise i would give any woman traveling alone there.

Om, peace, chill, wicked, easy, love for all and all the jazz. Reply to this

im not sure but feel jitu007 is suggesting that i am insinuating a racial attack on Indians.

There are currently reposts in the news about racial attacks on Indian students happening in Australia. I suppose this may cause some bad feeling towards Australians travelling in India. Pity backpackers have to suffer for what some people in their home countries do.

i live in asia with no tv so dont get to see much news

That would be why you dont know about the racial attacks on Indian students in Australia then. Reply to this