Dude from India. Really not a pervert, I swear. Just a broke assed third worlder who dreams of seeing the world.

nikhil madhusudhanan

nikhil madhusudhanan

New member
Hello to everyone here. The title of the thread says everything about me, really. I'm a 20 yo guy from India and from a dysfunctional middle class family, so I don't think I'll ever get to go out of this POS country. Currently in the third year of my engineering course, I've never travelled per se, only gone as far as 2 hours out of the city I live in. And a small trip from college. Thats it. Too poor to travel, but doesn't hurt to dream that I will get to do it one day, right?
So that's about it. I'm more or less here to read about all the cool adventures that you guys are having. So go have fun for me! :)
 
nikhil madhusudhanan said:
from a dysfunctional middle class family, so I don't think I'll ever get to go out of this POS country
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You definitely will not get out of there if you create resistances like this that only exist in your mind. I grew up in a traphouse, poor as fuck and the epitome of dysfunctional. Didn't stop me from traveling. We're all too poor to travel, that's why we hop trains and hitchhike. We're not chartering private jets over here. Go travel if you want to. You might consider finishing up your degree first though, sounds like you're a ways into it.
 
Engineer J Lupo said:
You definitely will not get out of there if you create resistances like this that only exist in your mind. I grew up in a traphouse, poor as fuck and the epitome of dysfunctional. Didn't stop me from traveling. We're all too poor to travel, that's why we hop trains and hitchhike. We're not chartering private jets over here. Go travel if you want to. You might consider finishing up your degree first though, sounds like you're a ways into it.
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Yes I'm close to finishing the degree actually, only a year and a half left. But the problem with hopping trains here is that our wagons don't have handy little hiding spots at either ends...they're pretty much vertical. And as to hitchhiking, the people are more likely to help you when you're a white 'firangi'( chances increase 500% if you have a girl with you) than their own countrymen
Not gonna sit here and whine, though. Imma get my degree, maybe work for a few years and then I'm hitting the road
 
Yeah man, you don't have to hop trains there. Or anywhere for that matter, I was just giving an example of traveling on no budget. If it isn't conducive to where you're at then it's just not an option. But stack your chips and buy a cheap ticket to some other place where you can travel cheaply. As far as people more likely to pick you up if you're like this this or that and better if you have a female with you.. that's pretty much the exact same thing here. I'm 190 cm 136kg, not exactly the least intimidating individual by size proportions. People are far more likely to pick someone up here that can't overpower them, it isn't easy to get rides hitchhiking but I still get them. Don't let anything stop you. It's never easy, it would get boring if it always was.
 
Engineer J Lupo said:
Yeah man, you don't have to hop trains there. Or anywhere for that matter, I was just giving an example of traveling on no budget. If it isn't conducive to where you're at then it's just not an option. But stack your chips and buy a cheap ticket to some other place where you can travel cheaply. As far as people more likely to pick you up if you're like this this or that and better if you have a female with you.. that's pretty much the exact same thing here. I'm 190 cm 136kg, not exactly the least intimidating individual by size proportions. People are far more likely to pick someone up here that can't overpower them, it isn't easy to get rides hitchhiking but I still get them. Don't let anything stop you. It's never easy, it would get boring if it always was.
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What you said makes sense. I gotta look up the cheap countries I can get to easily with an Indian passport. Or just go around seeing my own country for that matter. Thanks, Lupo!
 
They never ask for tickets as proof of payment in any general class carriage in India. Just ride the general class passenger trains.
 
Anagor said:
You don't need money to travel.

I don't know anything about India but I believe in general ...

If you are okay sleeping rough, if you are okay to ask people for a favour (a ride, food, some spare change) and if you can get along with next to nothing but enjoying yourself ... you don't need money.

Just my 2 cents ...
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Noted and understood!
 
sd40chef said:
They never ask for tickets as proof of payment in any general class carriage in India. Just ride the general class passenger trains.
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They do, actually. Its pretty rare for the ticket checkers to show up in the general compartment, but if they do they will show you hell.
And a general compartment ticket wouldn't set you back much actually, probably a 100 rupees for travel halfway across the country
 
The philosophy we all live by is "Travel is free, people are kind, the world is our playground, etc." But that's bloody easy to say when we've all got American or European passports. It's a sad fact anyone not born in the west is severely restricted in terms of movement around the world. Below is a comparison of visa requirements for British citizens versus Indian citizens.
Blue = complete freedom of movement
Green = visa not required, you can go any time
Yellow = visa issued on arrival
Grey = visa required

UK citizens:
View attachment 47339

Indian citizens:
View attachment 47337

Of course the grey "visa required" countries aren't off-limits, and some visas are easy to obtain, but others are very difficult, and can be expensive.
We Westerners need to recognize the highly exclusive level of privilege we enjoy with our powerful passports. To dream of travel is a god-given right of all human beings, but to actually travel apparently isn't.

Having said that OP, I wish you luck with all your journeys. A dream is the seed of a big adventure. Some of the countries you can go to visa-free are truly amazing places. I have traveled around Vietnam and Indonesia, hitchhiking and camping, only spending money on food. Using the website Skyscanner, you can find return airplane tickets from New Delhi to Bangkok (for example) for $200usd or less.
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, where you can also go easily, are my #1 dream destinations right now.
Or even if you stay in India (where every American and European dreams of traveling) you could have some great adventures.
 

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make some friends on the internet and try and get a reciprocal arrangement going so if you ever make it to the West you got some places to stay for free - for example I sincerely hope one day to visit India and spend a long time there - if you (or some other native Indians) were to show me around your city, this would undoubtedly improve the experience - in return I would be honored to host you ( or some other native Indians) in England and try to repay the favor - as I said having somewhere to stay for free would make your money go a lot further (hotel costs in the UK are ridiculously expensive !) - get networking brother, the world is your oyster !
 
Tony Pro said:
We Westerners need to recognize the highly exclusive level of privilege we enjoy with our powerful passports. To dream of travel is a god-given right of all human beings, but to actually travel apparently isn't.
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Oh my god the passport thing is so true, Tony. That thing really narrows down the destinations tourable for the shoestring budgeted Indian traveller. Also, the poor western travellers come down here to Asia to tour on budget, while we have nowhere else to go, haha. Just a fun thought I had.
Welp I've always wanted to live my life traveling on the American highways and rails but I guess if traveling in its pure form is what I'm in love with, then the place that I'm traveling to won't matter as much as the journey to get there.
Thanks for offering me your advice!
 
roguetrader said:
make some friends on the internet and try and get a reciprocal arrangement going so if you ever make it to the West you got some places to stay for free - for example I sincerely hope one day to visit India and spend a long time there - if you (or some other native Indians) were to show me around your city, this would undoubtedly improve the experience - in return I would be honored to host you ( or some other native Indians) in England and try to repay the favor - as I said having somewhere to stay for free would make your money go a lot further (hotel costs in the UK are ridiculously expensive !) - get networking brother, the world is your oyster !
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Wow I never thought of it that way. Guess I'd hasten to know my cities better so that I can show people like you around and make some (hopefully longtime) friends in the process! As I'm currently living with my parents, I don't have the liberty to register as a host on CouchSurfing but if I get my own place one day, I'd be happy to open my doors to the brave peeps who set out to see the world without giving a damn about the problems of money shortage.
Thanks for your advice!!
 
welcome man

in the meantime why don't you share with us a bit of your home area? I have read a fair bit on Chennai & Tamil Nadu but not so much west of there
 
roughdraft said:
welcome man

in the meantime why don't you share with us a bit of your home area? I have read a fair bit on Chennai & Tamil Nadu but not so much west of there
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The reason why I'm 20 and haven't been anywhere in my own country is because I have helicopter parents, dude. I originate from Kerala but was living in Pune, Maharashtra for pretty much my whole life and came back here to study engineering. Thought I'd get some freedom, but my mom moved here with me. The first taste of freedom I'll get is after I pass out of college, most probably.
Until after then when I start traveling, I don't think I can be of much help to you, sadly.

But Kerala is a hot place amongst tourists. The travel websites, I'm ashamed to say this, will give you more information that I possibly could.
 
nikhil madhusudhanan said:
The reason why I'm 20 and haven't been anywhere in my own country is because I have helicopter parents, dude. I originate from Kerala but was living in Pune, Maharashtra for pretty much my whole life and came back here to study engineering. Thought I'd get some freedom, but my mom moved here with me. The first taste of freedom I'll get is after I pass out of college, most probably.
Until after then when I start traveling, I don't think I can be of much help to you, sadly.

But Kerala is a hot place amongst tourists. The travel websites, I'm ashamed to say this, will give you more information that I possibly could.
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no shame bro, it's all circumstance

you have a lot to look forward to, good luck finishing school, man is it a bitch but is so worth it
 
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