I'm hoping to hear quickly from those of you who have visited Margarita Island, Venezuela.  My husband and I are scheduled to visit Margarita from October 16-30, 2001.  We've heard about this destination for years and have always wanted to hook up with one of the shelling groups that go there, but our dates have never worked out, so we decided to go on our own.  We've been looking forward to it despite some crazy things we read regarding safety on the island and in Caracas on the Internet.  Given what happened September 11, we are now not sure whether we should go because of safety and terrorism issues.  The Washington Times had a two page ad this week about President Chavez's relationship with Saddam Hussein and Kadafi and his support for the countries that support terrorism.  While this may be propaganda, when we read it, it gave us pause because of other things we had read and we wondered if it is wise for us to proceed with the trip.  Please, we need your honest advice about your experiences traveling to and from Margarita including some crazy things we've heard that happen in Caracas Airport and also how safe you felt on the island itself.  As much as we still want to go, we don't want to put our lives in danger.  The second part of my question is, if we are able to make the trip, can those of you who have visited the island before please guide as as far as where we should go to look for shells on the island.  I understand shells are everwhere, but we would really appreciate your tips as far as special spots to go.  Thanks in advance to all of you who respond.