An American travel vlogger has gone viral after claiming a 15-hour Indian train journey left him hospitalised with a serious lung infection.
Nick Maddock, from Missouri, shared videos showing him in a hospital bed wearing an oxygen mask just days after travelling in the sleeper coach of a train from Varanasi to New Jalpaiguri.
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“Three days later in Bhutan, I was diagnosed with a severe respiratory infection,” Maddock said. “I’m doing better now, but it’ll be a slow recovery.”
In one video, Maddock jokingly blamed either the long ride or a week “breathing in dead bodies in Varanasi” for his condition. He later shared footage of dirty train toilets and said, “Never again.”
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Despite the experience, Maddock made it clear he still loves India, praising its people, landscapes, and cultural richness. However, he called the train journey “one of the grossest things I’ve seen in my six years of travelling.”
The internet responded with mixed reactions. Some viewers sympathised, calling it an unfortunate travel experience.
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Others criticised Maddock for allegedly using poverty for content. “Only privileged tourists do this, they fly across the world to highlight the worst parts and generalise the country,” a user commented.
Maddock defended his post, saying the health ordeal was real and not exaggerated. He has been travelling for eight years and often documents his adventures around the world.
His videos continue to gain attention as the debate over travel ethics and representation grows online.
