BBC reporter Ian Pannell tagged along on a U.S. embassy-sponsored trip to northern Afghanistan to inspect counter-narcotics operations. His handlers got skittish when their car broke down and flew back to Kabul without him.

It was now past two o'clock. Our American "hosts" were absent without leave. The plane was due to leave in half an hour and we were in the middle of the middle of nowhere with a story that would not even work its way onto the back pages of the local newspaper .

A few frantic phone calls established the worst. The plane had already departed without us because of bad weather heading our way.

Parnell (pictured in Afghanistan) and his camera man made it back to Kabul 21 hours later after an Afghan official lent them a car and a security guard. Way to get positive coverage, America!