alt Hacker News>This is the only place in the world where I can say this about.
Really dude? About India? South America in general, especially Brazil?
I traveled a lot and I love everywhere, everyone and everything buy there are some places that scam 24/7.
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A friend - female, white, blonde - while in india on a business trip had to deal with inapprorpaite behavior including individuals visibly touching themselves inappropriately...not my jam.
I’ve been to two cities in Brazil and had no issues whatsoever. I’m sure it happens, but no one tried to rob us or scam us.
Italy was it for me. The train station in Rome was crazy. And just Venice in general. I was probably just in the touristy areas, but it was definitely the most hardcore non-stop street scamming I'd been around.
As a White western with the obvious means to travel, I feel like they (tours in just about every second and third world country) look at me as if I am an ATM machine and they just need to figure out the PIN that will cause the money to come out.
I don't take it personally. Just pressing forward mumbling "no thank you" seems to work okay.
At one ancient temple in India I did hire a young kid to drive all the other entrepreneurs away cuz it was so bad. I don't remember the insignificant amount I gave him but I'm pretty sure it was enough to feed himself and his family for a few days.
I spent 6 weeks in India, mostly for work, but also ventured out quite a bit. I didn't really have any major issues and would go back. That said, I wasn't in any of the major tourist areas. My cousin has also started going there for work more recently and has enjoyed it a lot. I was little more nervous for her as a woman going by herself.
But to your point, when I think about it, I do hear a lot of negative things from others. A lot of people tried to talk me out of going there, but none of them had actually been there. The negative stuff I've heard about Egypt has all been from people who have been there.