Travel Short Story - Trading Time For A Ticket Home

Keep in mind, in many parts of the world there was no Uber and taxis do not take credit cards. So, after spending my last Bolivars and US dollars in Venezuela, I landed in the capital city of Panama with nothing but a backpack and the lingering hope that my hotel might help me get some cash.

I tried convincing the front desk to overcharge my credit card and hand me the extra in cash — no luck. They gave me some hope that the taxi driver would take me to an ATM the next morning on the way to the airport so I could get cash to pay him.

So I found myself outside at 4:30am trying to explain in broken Spanish I had no money and needed to go to a cash machine. "No problema" he said and off we went.

Three failed ATM attempts later, I still found myself with no money and a nervous taxi driver. I decided the next stop was either going to be the airport or he would take me back to the hotel - I did not plan on getting out of the taxi again until I was safely at one of those locations!

With my flight home on the line and my Spanish running on fumes, I offered him the only thing I had left: my watch. He looked at me, looked at the watch, then slowly nodded. To add insult to the whole situation the driver had to pay the tolls from his pocket.

That morning, I traded time for a ticket home — and learned just how creative travel can make you.

Ken D.