🇮🇳 I had arrived in Varanasi in search of a hotel but first I had to fight my way through the crowds of touts and scammers. Learn how to deal with them by watching this video! Jai Bhole Ki!
@@sasank4 That's a little bit hard if you're white and in India XD But tbh all you need to do is what Bald does, be polite but firm and even if you can't speak as much as Bald, at least learn some phrases in the local language, especially ones that revolve around saying no to scammers and street sellers! It's the same in Egypt. I used to live there for a couple years as a kid but as I'm a typical pale white Brit I stick out like a sore thumb. Quite quickly had to learn various Arabic phrases of politely declining being sold things. XD
Reminds me of a guy in Las Vegas begging for money that had a bold sign that said "Why lie, I need beer!" I gave him $2 for a 40oz. :) Tout #2 probably met a foreigner there once, learned his bold/outspoken ways and has been repeating that same type of phrase to every white guy he sees since with probably moderate success.
@DrummerJacob That's a really good shout actually - somebody probably said "Dude, I don't wanna see your shitty shop, leave me alone," and that was it!
lol these people remind me of mobs in mmorpg games, when you come close, you agro them, they start following you and stop after 10-15 meters and return back to the original spot
As a person born in India - I tell you this guy's street skills are far superior than mine. He may look like an easy target to Indian touts. But he is a formidable and interesting opponent.
It's the same in Bali. Many are quite poor, and everyone is fighting for the customer. So when your customer is white, only speaks English, and is new to the country, it's a great way to make easy money. Basically, an easy target.
I returned from India a couple of weeks ago after spending 6 weeks travelling, mainly Northern parts. Varanasi was high on my list and it didn't disappoint. An assault to the senses would be an understatement but it was an experience I truly loved. Being 70s years old and travelling alone has its challenges but, whilst I came across quite a few scammers, the people, in the main, were kind and helpful even though, unlike you, I didn't speak the language. The best Lassi shop I found was the Blue Lassi shop, that I came across walking down those back alleys you walked and showed so well. Unfortunately the Ganges was in flood after some heavy monsoon rain so no boats were operating due to the fast currents. The Ghats were very spiritual and attended, by invitation, a cremation on the banks of the mighty River. Ah, I could waffle on for ages. I wont but just to say that no country that I have visited left it's mark like India has. Loved the video and will watch it again. So many happy memories.
Visited blue lassi shop about a month ago got my photo stickes onto the wall. Was disappointed they ain't selling no bhaang. I tried their mango lassi what did you do?
oh God I would get so lost and disorinatated in that place, I would never find my hotel and would end up crying on the side of the road with the touts shouting at me....
Man I'd have a panic attack within minutes of leaving the safety of the airport - thank you documenting something most of us don't ever wish to experience.
Anton Anton The OP didn’t say where he was from though, so I don’t know what the actual cultural difference is. And panic attack? That’s just needless hyperbole imo
Monk Killedababy it’s crowded, the land is unfamiliar, the people are different, the smells are different, and you don’t know who to trust. Forget cultural differences, people have panic attacks getting lost in their own city. Stop assuming racism
As someone who is a people pleaser, I’d find it so difficult to say no to them and that seems like my sort of a nightmare if I knew there would be people scamming me too😭
It’s not for everyone. Am glad I’m one that is. It had me laughing and in wonder as soon as I stepped off the plane. It’s a feast for your senses and a huge lesson in being chill.
Went to Morocco on a whim after taking a vacation in Spain as a naive 20 year old, we didn't even do any research except we knew the hashish was good. Man oh man did me and my friends get scammed. Overpaid for the taxi in Marrakesh right out the gate, managed to find a great riad by chance, but every 5 minutes in the bazaar we were getting harassed. It made it impossible to just enjoy the city and let loose. Feel lost? Pull out a map or look at your phone for more than 30 seconds and touts will descend upon you, offering to take you back to the riad when in reality you end up at their carpet shop. My Moroccan friend in Tetouan later told us that as a Westerner you should never look people in the eye and you should always say "no" if anyone approaches you speaking English. We didn't know this when we first landed so we would just start speaking German to people trying to scam us and they would usually fuck off. Then of course we met a tout who spoke better German than us. Travelling in these countries is fantastic, but you will be stressed out if constant harassment gets to you. After awhile you kind of just ignore it. Cairo was worse. As to the person saying Asia, I've never experienced those issues in Southeast Asia or East Asia (China, Korea, Japan).
@@SenderBudYerGood Well, Westerners typically have more money and way less street smarts, so yeah, it's easy pickings. Even as a broke college student in the Middle East, the touts and beggars who approach you are infinitely more poor. Someone in Morocco told me that the minimum wage at the time was something like $10 USD/day. A tout could rip off as much from a naive middle-aged couple from Kansas in about 10 minutes. Crime pays.
I've been in places this hectic, and in situations like this, but I'm not sure I could ever have the presence of mind to also film it so calmly. Great job!
Yeah i first watched the belarussian videos, where there are lots of calm, vast empty of people places and then this videos in India where everything is so crowded and loud. But i find them both equally interesting.
@@TripleH3LIX We believe in love and forgiveness. When the time comes you will understand. Open your mind Branden you're mother raised you to be a better more positive person.
I'm more impressed Bald can speak English, Spanish, Russian, and Hindi. He's got nearly all the International Languages down. All he needs to learn is Mandarin, Arabic, French and maybe Python :D
You are fearless,unapologetic,brave ,crazy,reckless,versatile,adaptable and slightly mad......all the traits that make me want to watch more of your insane escapaids!
@@Asylus I guess. I've been to India a few times, and this is pretty much how it is, just without the camera. But he's a cool dude, no doubt about that.
Im a solo traveller myself and what I like most about your videos are that it's have . no bullshit music that makes the viewers or potential travellers forget what the place actually sounds like . no stupid or fancy cuts (everyone does it these days) . you don't travel for beautiful photos or with the intention of ticking off the bucket list but you travel for the experience and interaction with the local. Thank you for showing us the real world not like other travel vloggers who make their every place they went to filled with butterflies and rainbow.
@ Everyone could? Everyone? I'm sure you can't without being boring as hell. Cuts and stuff doesn't require any "hardwork" or special skills. It's in fact used to cut the LACK of content and make it more dense this way.
@ seriously? do you know how many travel vids I've seen of some 20 something who: doesnt speak the local language knows nothing about the local culture and visits every tourist trap there is and do not interact with the locals Being "creative" does not equal good content. Too many "travel" vlogs think just being somewhere is traveling....
I thought the same. These overcrowded places full of scammers make the Moldavia videos look like paradise. I also bet if he had no camera scams would be happening twice as much.
gandhi didn't do shit! It was WW2 and Subhash Chandra Bose that led to the early exit of the British. gandhi just liked to put his emaciated self as a display of self-pity! He never even sat on hunger strike against British, ever, but against the rights of Indian people only. Gandhi also was instrumental in the genocide of Zulu people of Africa, and demanded separate door from Africans. So gandhi was just a duplicitous top notch racist biaatch
@@anirudhashahide1408 I'd rather not be followed around by piranhas trying to scam me on every street corner because I'm white and look like I'm in the middle class.
I am a 63 year old lady, from New Jersey, USA. I could never afford to go and see the places you go. I love seeing these people and places. Thank you so mush for expanding my life. GB and be safe.
Dont come to India here ! Its full of curroption and bad public. As a FRUSTATED 14year old Indian I want to come New york there! I want to leave this boring country....
I’m female and I would love to visit such a fascinating and diverse place like India but have the constant fear I would be hassled by men that would make me feel uncomfortable. It’s such a shame as I don’t know if I’d find someone brave enough to rough out the harsh streets of India! I’m determined to find a bold and go to India!!
Being Indian myself, I'd suggest not coming here alone, especially to places like the ones shown in this video. You can visit The Southern states like kerala, goa etc, North Eastern 7 sister states, but not these kind of places shown in the video.
It's not just India. Any place you visit on Earth has "men". And not all "men" are same. Women like you, I belive are strong enough to defend themselves. Educated enough to help themselves, and are not less to men. However, choosing "proper" place (if travelling by yourself) is adviced. People are educating, generations are changing, people are changing and there are many many parts of India where you can roam all alone, with 0 fear of anything. Again, not all places are same, not all men are same 😀🙏.
As an Indian I advised States in North India like Uttar Pradesh ( Varanasi) ,Bihar are extremely dangerous for woman especially for solo travellers do not do it as a first timer , However Southern States like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, or North Eastern states or Western States like Maharashtra and Goa are very safe you can enjoy it there
For someone with a tad of social anxiety this looks like hell. Yet i've been to Japan and South-Korea and felt perfectly fine there. It's this feeling everyone wants a piece of you thats seems so overwhelming.
@@crackmalta South-Korea and Japan are really cool. Everyone leaves you be, no pushy sales people or street scams like in London or Paris, Madrid etc. There is so much order :), you'll notice this taking public transport. If you go to Busan in South Korea for the love of god go to the Spa Land in the city center, it's a huge place and so relaxing after a day of hiking. Even if you've never done this before, just do it haha.
@@DrunkSheep101 thanks for the advice unfortunately I'm only spending 5 days in South Korea, visiting Seoul, andong, gyeongju and then grabbing a flight from busan to osaka. Not sure how much of busan I'll see but I'll keep your advice in mind!
@@crackmalta Yeah 5 days is not allot :). If you can, book a DMZ tour, you leave by bus from Seoul, it's a unique expirience. We booked it with KORIDOOR. Have a nice trip!
Touts are like NPCs offering side quests or intentionally blocking your way from the main quest. Mr. Bald doesn't need to worry because his resistance, charisma and intelligence traits are so high ;)
Well, Been livin' in Varanasi for my whole life. i cant tell you one thing for suree. These aren't religion man's. They spend their days trying to loot tourists and nights smoking and well....guess it yourself.🤷🏻♀️
@Evil Quran Verses 4:34, 9:5 Go look out for his Cuban videos u ll get a sense of where the 70 years rule has taken us. Proud to have been ruled by some sensible men unlike now.
@@aishimohan8673 oh really, how can people be so dumb Do you really think India would've been like this if it had the money like before?! Suppose I take all your recourses to cook and give you high tech cooking utensils, and then someone says yeah they provided you technology don't get bitchy about it, how'd you feel! I hope you get it.
@112358 853211 if I rob you would you still say that the money I robbed is now mine not yours, c'mon dude use your brain. The thing that happened to us is called exploitation, it's wrong in any way you see.
I absolutely love your videos, clued up and straight talking, in quite a few languages, not to mention, friendly and entertaining, but, the touts may not have had success in selling you something. Trust me, I You haven’t sold Varanasi to me. You are a braver man me.
@@xsigna1 I learned Hindi and Bengali from when I was like 10 months old. Indian languages aren't comparatively harder than English if a 10 month old can speak it.
One of your best videos---along with the one where you went to the gypsy apartment compound. It's amazing to see the clash of cultures between an Englander and urban Indians.
I randomly got the Moldova video on my homepage and instantly got into your channel because I love everything Russian and I was amazed you speak Russian. And now you're fluently speaking Hindi as well?! What's next, Mandarin?
I like Bold's live vlogs more than the scripted ones. I guess that's why I also like Harald's vlogs. It's nice to see the real thing live and without editing. Keep doing this kind of vlogs please please haha
Well he wanted to try the Bhang Lassi, which is a drinkable (cannabis infused drink), they can do that because of religious and spiritual importance, and it is used more often during the Holi. *Edit: Bhang Lassi, much like any other edible/drinkable can be specially strong or have substantial effects, so if anyone tries it, a little bit goes a long way, figuratively, as the high can last upwards of 10-11 hours depending the consumption.
@@Amghannam I mean, yeah sure, it still fucks you up more than any dab, hash, or bud, and it lasts longer. It's the classic: "I Shouldn't have done that" (if you take more than what you should, and in edibles, specially in non-regulated countries, it's very hard to quantify exactly how much THC you consume. Always follow this rule/ TLDR; Start Slow, Go Slow.
To all the people saying oh I'm never going to India, i totally understand your reaction by seeing this video. I had the same reaction when i first landed in Dheli years ago. But remember India is Huge! it's a living and breathing Jungle Book, full of life, colors, sounds, smells and food. While at first you feel threatened you eventually see the peace flowing through the chaos and become part of it. Also, this is not the full picture of India! While the main cities like Dheli, Mumbai, Benares(Varanasi) are crowded, to which you sort of adjust to the first few days, you still can easily leave the chaos and head to mucher calmer places sorrounded in nature; whether it be coconut filled beaches or zen like mountains where the Dalai Lama resides. India is a real adventure. Most Indians themselves have not visited the entirety of their country. It's incredible. Don't be afraid.
@@bendover8689 dude I'm a british citizen with indian descent also hindu. The fact is that we invaded them when there were thousands of small states that controlled the country, plundered much if the wealth and left them. We left them with little national identity eith no real GDP, so honestly it it remarkable how far india has come with such a large population which had little education
Russia: Come in and eat something! Also here is a free "farewell" gift for you. India: Come in and eat something! Also, have you got money, because I helped you?
@Savage Cabbage obviously all people of a group, be it grouped by nation, state, ethnicity, religious belief, political view or anything else are not the same. Nobody even mention Sikhs and what you're talking about. But, it's still a fact that when you are a tourist in India lots of people will come and try to scam you, aswell in some other places, while in Russia that won't happen. And if you know their language ofcourse they are going to be even nicer, that goes for any population
@Savage Cabbage Uuuh you do know that communists don't like immigration either? Left-Right has nothing to do with immigration. And yes you can still be a racist, especially if you are of indian origin yourself lol. Also no, you misquoted him, he never said that. On the contrary he wrote "I've traveled to India, and been around plenty of Indians in Canada, not saying they're all bad..."
The place looks like hell on earth. Men constantly staring at you, traffic coming in every direction, no silence, can't imagine the smell either. Always thought my city was the worst. Guess that's just a spectrum.
thats just india for you, since they literally recognise outsiders instantly they got nothing else to do but stare. Even if you're brown skin like them and of indian heritage (but not actually from india) you'll still just get stared at literally everywhere. Its mostly by lower class/poorer citizens. Just your mere presence there is like a privilege for them.
RatedRRaj omg tell me about it, they stared me down, how did they know???😂 I thought guy maybe bc I'm light skinned or something , but then they always spoke to me in English and like a foreigner, my anxiety levels 📈
@@RatedRRaj Its not just India though lol. I've been to Indonesia before and people stared me down only cause I am quite out of place there. Yes its uncomfortable. I am not someone people there see everyday so I get why they would stare at me. Black/brown man in a country full of white people or white man in a country with everyone white will stare at the oddity that is walking in front of them. while yes, its mainly the poor citizens that just wont stop staring at you, the people who aren't poor they don't stare but they cant stop themselves from looking at you on and off as many times as they can until you are out of their view. So as a conclusion, no, its not just a thing that happens in India. No, its not something that ONLY happens in poorer countries. It happens anywhere if you stand out.
@@Darek225Army woah there buddy... I agree with the overpopulation and corrupt government, but calling the entire population stupid is kinda not ok at all
Oh wow! I lived in Varanasi for about a year and and a half way back in the very early 1990s….man it has changed!! The ghats are unrecognizable but the people are still the same!!! Thanks
@@vspecky6681 Yes old person, I am very focused in my studies, you should take care of yourself in your old age, do not know when God's call will come. And you have to show your black face to God.😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣bloody senior citizens and haa take that🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕
I have never laughed at a blessing like that....hahahahahahhaaa...his face when you refused to pay I am on the floor! Bald i think you would make a very charismatic comedian/politician
“I will show you my shitty shop, we have a lot of shit” i think if a tout came to me and said that in perfect English i would go just for the experience
The whole experience seem to be wonderful but also terrifying. I would be completely shocked walking on the streets of Varanasi. Balds courage is my life goal.
