Some tourists have had their belongings stolen while they were distracted. For instance, in a busy market, a pickpocket took a tourist's wallet right out of their bag while they were looking at some handicrafts. It was a real shock for the person who lost their money and important documents.
Well, one common horror is the overcrowding. Trains, for instance, can be so full that you can barely move. I once took a train journey and was shoved into a compartment that was already overflowing. People were sitting on the floors, in the aisles, and it was extremely uncomfortable. It was like being in a sardine can.
One horror story could be getting scammed by taxi drivers. They might take you on a much longer route just to charge more. Another is dealing with food poisoning. Some tourists have had a bad time after eating street food that wasn't prepared hygienically. Also, the overcrowded trains can be a nightmare. You could be squeezed in with no space to move and your luggage might get lost in the chaos.
One horror story could be getting lost in the chaotic streets of a big Indian city like Mumbai. The traffic is insane, and the streets are like a maze. I once got separated from my group during a visit. The signs were in languages I could barely understand. I wandered around for hours, feeling really scared, until I finally found a kind local who helped me get back to my hotel.
A woman traveling in India could be in a situation where she is visiting a religious site. She is dressed appropriately but still gets harassed by some over - zealous religious people who think she is not following their unwritten rules. They start shouting at her and surrounding her, making her feel threatened and scared. It's a situation where she is just trying to experience the local culture but ends up in a very unpleasant and scary encounter.
I once had a bad experience in an Indian hotel. There were bugs everywhere in the room. I complained to the staff but they were unresponsive and didn't seem to care at all. It was really disgusting and made my stay a nightmare.
A lot of travelers have horror stories related to transportation. Like taking a local bus where the driver was speeding recklessly on bad roads. There were no proper safety measures, and the bus was overcrowded. It was a nerve - wracking experience fearing an accident at any moment. Also, some people have had their luggage stolen at busy African airports, leaving them without their essential items for the trip.
A common one is about accommodation problems. Some travelers have found bugs in their hotel rooms or had really noisy neighbors that made it impossible to sleep. Another is getting lost because the street signs in some areas can be confusing.
One common horror story is getting scammed at tourist attractions. There are people who will try to sell you 'cheap' souvenirs that turn out to be overpriced junk. Another is the long queues everywhere. I once waited for three hours just to get into the Louvre. It was exhausting. And also, the public transport can be a nightmare. Trains are often overcrowded and sometimes late, which can mess up your whole day's itinerary.
Another story might be about lost luggage. A traveler took an Air India flight and upon arrival, his luggage was nowhere to be found. He had to go through a lot of hassle to report it, and then faced days of waiting with no updates from the airline. He had important items in his luggage, and the lack of proper support from Air India in finding it was really a horror story for him.
The story of the Aghori sages can be quite horrifying. Aghoris are known for their extreme and often macabre practices. They are said to live in cemeteries, eat human flesh (though this is more of a myth based on their association with corpses), and perform dark rituals. Their very existence and the tales associated with them are spine - chilling for many.