Reporters on the Job

• Road Trip in Pakistan: Correspondent David Montero has been reporting in the quake-ravaged areas of Pakistan for a couple of weeks. Today's story grew in part out of his surprise at the impressive level of civic volunteerism he's seen on the ground. "In the course of reporting, I met volunteers who have climbed mountain paths to deliver supplies and messages," he says. He also learned that even before the earthquake, Pakistan was noted for its civic activism. "One group told me that they're in the Guinness Book of Records for having the world's largest volunteer ambulance service, with 1,000 vehicles at their disposal nationwide," says David.

During one of his reporting trips, he was supposed to climb aboard a helicopter to fly to an area where one of the international relief organizations is working. But he wasn't on the passenger manifest, so wasn't allowed aboard. His Pakistani driver said, "No problem. I live to drive."

David went on a hair-raising six-hour trip through the winding mountain passes, dodging large trucks. "But being on the ground has its advantages. We met people at a refugee camp and at a restaurant along the way who gave me a different perspective than if we'd just flown over the area. For example, people told us that most of the attention is focused on the big cities, and few supplies are reaching the remote areas," he says.

David Clark Scott
World editor