Reporters on the Job

• Wave Them Through: As he was researching security at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, correspondent David Montero was pulled over by guards. "As we approached the opening of the crossing area, guards waved us over," says David. "I was sort of glad to see they were policing, but aside from barking at us, they didn't search our car or do much. When we said we were from the press, they just let us go." Inside the security area, David says, the situation was even more disappointing. David and his assistant were given a tour of the gate, where 35,000 people pass between Pakistan and Afghanistan every day. David was assured that no one is allowed to cross without proper identification. "Just as we walked up to where people from Afghanistan were coming in, a group was telling the guards they had no documentation." The guards made a show of stopping the men. "My assistant suggested we leave, since our presence was creating a problem," David says. "So we walked away, and sure enough, the men who'd been stopped were now coming into Pakistan, no questions asked."

• Trifling With Truffles: Cream-colored chinos are not ideal attire for a truffle hunt, Nick Squires discovered. "Duncan Garvey, who's pioneered truffle- growing in Australia, was keen that I get down on the wet ground to smell the truffles lurking underground," Nick says. "My knees got muddy, and to be honest, all I could smell was dirt." Not having sniffed or tasted a truffle before, he wasn't sure what to expect when a truffle was finally plucked from the ground. "There was a faint, sweet aroma but also the smell of a damp cellar. But those in the know tell me they are well worth their $2,300 a kilo price tag."

Amelia Newcomb
Deputy world editor