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The Road to Caripe
I stood alone on a little coastal road that leads eastward from Cuman , Venezuela, to the Guyana border, my bag in my hand. The sun would be down in an hour. I saw no buses, no taxis, no people, no towns, no hotel . . .

Getting Nowhere Fast
There is a cave near Caripe, in the state of Monagas. I knew when my courier flight landed in Caracas that I wanted to see it, but the call of the Caribbean was stronger. I flew on to Cuman on the north coast. The north coast road doesn’t pass by any of Venezuela’s famous “playas” that attract international sun-worshippers, but I felt sure that there must be something so I just decided to “see what happens.”
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We were besieged by tour guides, taxi drivers, helpers and hustlers as soon as we stepped out of the airport.

This was Medan, the capital of Sumatra, with few flights to deliver prey. We were two blades of grass in a swarm of locust. “Medan?” “Hotel?” “Taxi?” “Change money?” “Where do you want to go? — Carry your bags? — A good tour? ”

The terminal facilities are accessed from outside the building, so we were obliged to endure the gauntlet. One of the fellows attached himself to us as I spotted two money changers. “The second one gives better rates,” he whispered. I checked them out — he was right. My friend watched our bags while I checked on a bus to Lake Toba. After learning that it was seven kilometers from the airport to the bus station, then the bus to Lake Toba would cost each of us 20,000 rupiah (US$10) and take 5 or 6 hours, we decided that a taxi for the combined price of RP80,000 (US$40) wasn’t too bad. And the whole trip would only take 4 hours.
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High Tea at the Savoy
By T. Howe

This was my first courier flight, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I didn’t have to carry anything either way and I didn’t meet anyone upon landing at Heathrow. For the return-trip, I just picked up my ticket at the American Airlines ticket counter where it had been left for me by <courier company>.

While in London I stayed with friends who are living there. Getting around wasn’t difficult; I mostly rode the tube (the subway) and some buses. I got a bus-pass for the day. The best bargains to me were the museums. I enjoyed the British Museum best; there was no charge.
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I recently read a travel article stating that Catholics who visit Rome during a Jubilee year might be forgiven their sins, no matter how serious. Maybe it would work for this Presbyterian!

I went to my computer and typed in www.courier.org, clicked on “Last Minute Flights,” entered my password and up came the last-minute courier flight offers. Global Systems in New York had an eight-day trip to Rome, leaving in a few days.

I phoned Agnes, the courier coordinator at Global Systems, and reserved the trip. She faxed the contract which I signed and returned with a check for $350.
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My husband and friends were sure they would never see me again after my first courier trip. This strange world of courier travel is always suspect. Why would and elementary teacher take such risks?

Well, I did it because I love to travel and plan to do it again many, many times.

As I prepared for my trip I recalled the sentence in my courier firm contract taht absolved the courier firm of all responsibility should they cancel. I had called the courier firm after receiving my Shoestring Traveler – Travel Guide International hoping to get a Milan run, but I was happy to get London at $270.
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