- British couple disproved myth that foreigners must avoid Indian street food to stay healthy
- Hazel Lindsey and Martin Bailey ate local street food across India without falling ill
- They embraced spicy dishes and local culture, preferring street food over 5-star meals
A British travel couple has debunked the widespread 'myth' that foreigners must avoid Indian street food to stay healthy. In a viral Instagram video titled, 'Two British travellers documenting the raw truth of global travel,' Hazel Lindsey and Martin Bailey shared that they were heavily cautioned about getting sick before their trip. However, Lindsey emphasised that they quickly ignored the fearmongering, realising that skipping the street food scene meant missing the very soul of India.
"The biggest myth about travelling India is that you have to avoid the street food to stay safe. When we left the UK, our inbox was full of warnings. But we quickly realised that if you don't eat on the streets here, you're missing the actual soul of the country," Lindsey captioned her post.
Travelling from one end of India to the other, Lindsey and Bailey immersed themselves in the culture by dining exactly where the locals do, without ever catching the infamous 'Delhi Belly'.
"From Delhi to Kerala, we made it our mission to eat where the locals eat. We've stood in chaotic alleys, sat on rickety plastic stools, and had vendors refuse to take our money because they just wanted to welcome us to their city," she added.
The couple admitted to getting challenged by the food and the spiciness but managed to savour the experience, despite the initial fear.
"Yes, our British taste buds were tested. Yes, we drank a lot of lassi to survive the spice. But we wouldn't trade these meals for a 5-star restaurant anywhere in the world."
Social Media Reactions
As the post gained traction, other foreign travellers shared similar sentiments, stating that trying street food was one of the highlights of the India trip.
"I did not get sick at all and it was amazing," said one user, while another added: "Indian street food is one of the best quality-wise in the world."
A third commented: "Agreed! We spent a month there eating all the local foods and had no problems. If anything, it's more hygienic cos all the restaurants have hand washing stations."
A fourth said: "The point is rather simple. Go slow, western stomachs are tuned to one spice pepper. For the rest, it takes a while. Give it 4 days. Until then, eat dosa, idli, parantha, aloo paratha, dal chawal, and lassi. Day 3 onwards, go full on."
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