Portuguese traveller Ana, a 24-year-old who is known for her hitchhiking journeys, has shared a post about her experience in India that has drawn wide attention on Instagram. Ana says that before landing in India, she was warned by many about harassment, robbery and stares. She admits she was afraid and completely avoided hitchhiking for her entire first month in the country.
However, she says the reality turned out to be very different. Everywhere she went, she kept meeting the kindest, funniest and most helpful people. She recalls strangers on the street spending two hours helping her fix a phone issue, and says she made lifelong friends along the way.
Ana says the men she met in India completely changed her perspective. In her post, she writes that she is not saying the country is 100 per cent safe or that women can be careless.
Watch the video here:
She adds that she is not minimising the experiences of other women and that precautions are still important, especially in big cities. She concludes by saying people should not let fear stop them from experiencing the beautiful energy of India.
The video has attracted significant attention online, with more than 2 million views. The comments section was filled with reactions from users, many of whom appreciated the woman's perspective. "Finally a good review after a long time," one user commented, while another wrote, "Thank you, dear, for showing the other side of the story." A third user shared a personal experience, saying, "Glad you had a great tour. I love the people from the mountains, especially in Sikkim and the North East. They are honest, hard-working and have always treated me like family."
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