'Babysitting A Grown Man': Kenyan Man's 30-Hour Indian Train Experience Divides Internet | VIDEO

A brief but striking moment from a train journey in India has ignited a heated discussion online after a Kenyan traveller shared an uncomfortable encounter from his trip. The video, which has since gone viral, has pushed conversations around personal space, cultural norms and travel expectations back into the spotlight.The clip was posted on Instagram by Vin Soul, a solo backpacker from Kenya, who documented parts of his 30-hour journey in an Indian general (unreserved) train coach. In the caption accompanying the video, Soul wrote, “Travelling for over 30 hours on an Indian General train is not for the weak. Baby sitting a grown man.”In the footage, Soul is seen occupying an upper berth inside an extremely crowded compartment. What caught viewers’

attention was a male passenger resting his head on Soul’s thigh, seemingly at ease and unaware, or unconcerned, about the awkwardness of the situation. Soul, clearly exhausted, does not confront the man or ask him to move, instead enduring the moment in silence.

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Another passenger seated nearby is also visible in the frame, occasionally glancing toward the pair with a puzzled and uncomfortable expression, as if unsure how to react to what is unfolding.As the video spread across social media, reactions poured in from all sides. Many users expressed sympathy for Soul, describing the situation as uncomfortable and invasive, particularly for a foreign traveller unfamiliar with the social dynamics of India’s general train compartments. Several criticised the man resting his head on Soul, calling it a clear breach of personal boundaries and common courtesy. One user commented, “That man has no concept of boundaries, you should’ve told him off.”Others offered a more contextual perspective, noting that while such behaviour is not acceptable, it is sometimes overlooked in overcrowded public transport systems where personal space is already scarce.Not all reactions were supportive, however. A section of users questioned Soul’s travel choice altogether, pointing out that Indian trains also offer reservation-based sleeper and AC classes. One commenter wrote, “Trains do have reservation-based sleeper classes too, why didn’t you buy that if you didn’t want to deal with things like this?”Some users argued that the video highlighted only one side of the experience, without fully acknowledging the realities of unreserved travel in India, where overcrowding and close physical proximity are often unavoidable.