German traveller Robert was sceptical about visiting India. He had heard about scams, unhygienic food, mountains of rubbish and the chaos. But he visited anyway, only to realise that everything he had been told was wrong. “Everything I expected and what I was told was wrong,” he said in a post shared on Instagram.Robert arrived in Goa expecting scams, food poisoning and garbage. But he found none of it. What he stumbled into instead was something his social media feeds had actively hidden from him.The man admits that he almost didn’t come. The doubts were real, mostly shaped by algorithms optimised to show him the worst version of a country of 1.4 billion people. During the monsoon season, he was in Goa, and it was unlike anything he had been told. The small coastal state during the off-season was exactly the kind of ‘little toe in the water’ that breaks the spell of a fabricated image.
The true India experience
The German traveller arrived in Goa expecting everything his social media algorithms had made him believe. “India, we need to talk. Everything I expected and what I was told was wrong. Yes, you are overwhelmingly chaotic. And I almost didn’t visit you. I have to admit… There were doubts. Social media built an India I was afraid to visit.”But once he landed in the country, he realised social media didn’t give him the whole story. “When I arrived, I felt how incredibly wrong I was to believe only the bad image, news and stereotypes. Chaos isn’t the whole story. The reality didn’t match my expectations (luckily),” he said.The turning point wasn’t a single moment. It was the sum total of the small ones. “Your smiles quickly outnumbered my doubts. Your interest, your curiosity and the conversations we shared were just amazing. Your kindness and hospitality truly blew me away. I found more kindness than chaos. You didn’t just surprise me. You changed the way I judge. Some places deserve their own option. Not someone’s algorithm.”Everything he experienced didn’t fit the sensationalism that the algorithm pushed. Robert also criticised the influencers who ‘deliberately’ show only the bad side to get more engagement. “No scams. No food poisoning. No mountains of rubbish several metres high. No deafening noise,” he added.
The outrageous scam
The only ‘scam’ that the German traveller found was the affordable meals. “Today, I’ve put together a look at the truly outrageous scams in India for you. We’re talking about prices at small, local family-run spots and high-end restaurants. As you can see—outrageous. Outrageously affordable!” he said in another video shared on Instagram.What struck him most was the consistency of the food served. “I haven’t been disappointed once so far—not by the daily selection, the taste, or even the quality and freshness.” He also acknowledged the stereotype of unsavoury street food; however, he suggests something radical: a choice. “We’re all familiar with images of those unsavoury-looking street food stalls, but you can simply avoid them and eat elsewhere if you like; there are options for everyone,” he said.Robert says his first encounter with the nation was harmonious and he hopes to visit again. “Thank you for making our first meeting so harmonious. And I’m very interested in leaning forward for a second date.”