maybe 8.23am, Thursday May 21, on S's couch ....shining hills

I am in Caracas!

I look out S's living-room window to what last night was a hill sparkling with light dots but this morning is a hill of wood and tin shacks. S, my Caracas couchsurfing host, said the hill is supposed to be protected land, but the vegetation looks weedy and new-growth to my eyes.

One of my big travel fears has been realised: I haven't been able to take money out of an ATM - it wants an ID#. I tried the first and last digits of my passport as asked but to no avail. I have$470 in US dollars but most of my money is on the Travellex card that is supposed to work anywhere.

Another couchsurfer, H, picked me up from the airport and I was so glad for it. He will move to Melbourne later this year. The poor boy was at the airport for so many hours. He thought there would be traffic so prepared for a long trip. But the roads were clear and he arrived at the airport in only 20 minutes, at 3.00pm. My flight was due at 5.00pm. It arrived on time but immigration took an hour. Venezuelan immigration is like American immigration, all long lines and persistent questions. Peru and Argentina had hardly any lines but in Caracas they question people, holding things up, though not me. I glided through without incident.

H and I spent a half hour trying to get money out of the ATM machine, having trouble even inserting the card properly. We finally gave up and went to the city, where H thought I'd have better luck. Now, there was traffic.

The ATM in the city did not work with my card either and H, with a mother in the hospital and by this time quite tired and frustrated, I think, called S to get directions and, I found out later from S, ask her if she could come pick me up. S does not have a car. I got myself in a taxi, with no money, and H gave the taxi driver directions. S paid $40 bolivars for my taxi ride, beautiful woman, so I have to get money today and pay her back.

S just said that the 'ranchos', the hillside shacks, glitter due to stolen electricity from the surrounding apartment buildings, their residents paying for the barrio's light.