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Foreign traveller gets 'hounded' in Delhi autorickshaw: 'I felt stressed and drained'
A foreign travel content creator gets “hounded” in a Delhi autorickshaw, says constant crowding left her “stressed and drained”.
A foreign travel content creator has shared her unsettling experience of being “hounded” on the streets of Delhi while travelling in an autorickshaw with her partner.
Emma, who goes by @discoverwithemma on Instagram, posted a video showing her and her partner waiting at a traffic signal in Old Delhi when beggars and what appeared to be transgender individuals approached them asking for money. In the clip, some of them were seen touching the travellers in an attempt to get their attention.
“I can’t stand strangers touching me. Getting hounded in a rickshaw in Delhi was honestly overwhelming,” Emma wrote in the caption. “We couldn’t go more than a few seconds without people approaching us, and in the chaos of Old Delhi it made the whole backpacking experience pretty intense,” she said.
In the video, Emma appeared visibly uncomfortable as she described how the constant interactions left her feeling anxious and exhausted. “Yesterday wasn’t our best day backpacking India. I felt stressed, drained, and honestly ready to give up on filming anything,” she wrote.
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‘Challenging one day, unforgettable the next’
However, she also used the post to reflect on the unpredictable nature of travel and how the following day in Delhi offered a completely different experience. “But travel is full of highs and lows, and today reminded me why we love it so much. We had the most amazing time exploring a completely different side of Delhi. From peaceful gardens to beautiful historic landmarks and the kind of street food that makes you forget all the chaos,” she said.
“That’s what makes backpacking Delhi (and India in general) so unique… one moment it feels impossible, the next it blows you away,” she continued.
Emma ended her post on a hopeful note, saying she couldn’t wait to share more of her adventures from the capital. “Can’t wait to share today’s adventures with you because this city really is the definition of contrasts: challenging one day, unforgettable the next,” she said.
Since being shared, the post has garnered more than 11 million views.
