Indians struggling with challenging travel activities, why does it happen

[Siddharth]

I was wondering why a lot of Indians seem to struggle with tough activities when they travel

Hey guys, I just got back from a solo trip to Thailand and Vietnam and something caught my attention. I was hiking to a peak in Vietnam and I noticed that a lot of Indian travelers were finding it really tough, they were taking lots of breaks and getting out of breath. On the other hand, some of the foreigners I met seemed to be handling the climb pretty easily. For example, I met this guy from Germany who was really skinny and was even wearing a mask for fun, and he made it to the top without much trouble. Meanwhile, a lot of the Indian groups were really struggling. Later I talked to some travelers from the US and they said that a lot of Americans who travel abroad are already into outdoor activities, so they're used to all the walking and physical activity that comes with traveling. This made me think about Indians, and from what I saw, it seemed like a lot of us aren't really prepared for activities like hiking or adventure travel. Of course, this is just based on one trip, and I know there are plenty of really fit Indian trekkers and mountaineers out there. So I was wondering, could it be because trekking and outdoor activities aren't that common in India, or maybe it's because of our lifestyle habits or lack of regular exercise, or maybe it's just the kind of travelers I happened to meet

[Ganesh]

1) Diet - Not naturally strong enough 2) Environment - Pollution, not much public space for exercise 3) Limited physical activity - People usually stop playing sports after school Feel free to add more

[Shyam]

We only go trekking if there's a temple at the top

[Ashok]

I think most Indians are just not fit by default. Our lifestyles are all about desk jobs and commutes, and we don't really get to walk much. The cities aren't really designed for jogging or cycling, so most people don't build up the endurance they need for hiking

[Raghav]

I think Indians are too focused on making money and eating. Food is a big deal in our country, and it's more about morality than what's actually good for us. Plus, there's a big comfort factor, since we can always pay someone to do the hard work for us. And on top of that, we don't really exercise, except maybe for a morning walk with some jalebis

[Divya]

Most Indians don't really see fitness as a priority, even among the upper middle class. If we do exercise, it's usually just a morning or evening walk, or some yoga for specific health issues. We don't really value physical fitness as a culture, and our idea of a comfortable life is one where we don't have to move around much. Also, we just don't have many safe and accessible public spaces, especially outdoors. Foreigners often plan their weekends and holidays around outdoor activities like hiking or swimming, but in India, that's just not common

[Dilip]

As an Indian living in the west, I have a different take on this. Indians will go on a hike if they hear the view is amazing, but a lot of people I know here won't go on a hike just because they don't hike. Most Europeans you see on a hike are there because they enjoy hiking, and the others just won't go. I've seen a lot of people who wouldn't even consider going on a hike, but most Indians are not like that. So the Europeans you see on hikes are probably people who hike for fun, even if it's not a regular thing

[Sahil]

Because Indians are always told to study and study, and other things are kind of discouraged

[Gaurav]

1. When people are struggling to make a living, outdoor activities like hiking or trekking aren't really a priority. The first priority is earning a living and providing for yourself and your family. Adventure activities require time, money, and exposure, so they tend to become more common once a certain level of economic development is reached. Many European countries got to that point earlier.
2. Because of that, Europeans tend to do more outdoor activities than Americans. Things like hiking, skiing, and cycling are just more a part of everyday culture in many European countries.
3. You can see similar patterns in other places too. Different communities participate in outdoor adventure activities at different rates. For example, activities like cliff jumping or rock climbing tend to be more popular among white people than black people. Culture, exposure, and access probably play a role in that. For some reason, I'm really offended by your statement about Indians struggling with demanding activities

[Naveen]

Another perspective: Indians travel to relax, and we already face tough conditions in our daily lives, so we want to take it easy when we travel

[Aman]

My parents used to say that if you study and write, you'll be successful, but if you play sports, you'll be ruined. The result is that we're great at studying and getting jobs, but not so great at social skills or outdoor activities. When I went on a sailing cruise in Vietnam, I was embarrassed because we were the only ones not snorkeling or doing sea activities. Everyone else was comfortable in the water. That's what made me decide to learn swimming, and now I'm learning snorkeling too. Scuba diving is on my list next. As someone said, we just don't have a culture of outdoor activities, and our focus is more on getting good jobs