When Australian javelin thrower Reg Spiers found himself stranded in London after failing to qualify for the 1964 Olympics, he faced a problem: he was completely broke and desperate to get home for his daughter's birthday. Most people would've called home for money or worked odd jobs. Spiers built a wooden box and mailed himself as air freight.

This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision fueled by panic. Spiers actually planned it out with fellow athlete John McSorley, who helped construct the 5-foot by 3-foot by 2.5-foot crate—just big enough for Spiers to sit with his legs straight or lie back with his knees bent. They added straps to hold him in place during the bumpy journey and drilled air holes for breathing.

The 63-Hour Journey From Hell

Spiers packed some essentials: two pillows, a book, a bottle of milk, glucose tablets, raisins, and a chamber pot. On October 17, 1964, he climbed into his wooden prison at Heathrow Airport, and the crate was labeled as cargo bound for Perth, Australia.

The journey was supposed to be uncomfortable but manageable. It turned into a near-death experience:

A 28-hour fog delay left him trapped on the tarmac at Heathrow
The crate sat in sweltering sun on the runway in Mumbai for 18 hours
He nearly died from dehydration and heat exposure
Airport workers in Mumbai actually opened the crate to investigate strange noises, discovered him, but helped him anyway and resealed the box

After 63 hours of being shipped like cargo across three continents, Spiers finally arrived in Perth on October 20, 1964. He burst out of the crate, dehydrated and disoriented, but alive.

Why Would Anyone Do This?

The plane ticket home would've cost around £700—money Spiers simply didn't have. The air freight cost for his human-sized box? Just £45. For an athlete who'd spent everything trying to make the Olympics, it was the difference between getting home and being stuck indefinitely.

Spiers made it home in time for his daughter's birthday, proving that desperation plus creativity can lead to absolutely bonkers solutions. The story became legendary in Australia, though Spiers himself went on to have a rather colorful life that included smuggling and prison time—but that's another story entirely.

Today, mailing yourself is obviously illegal and extremely dangerous. Spiers survived through a combination of luck, the kindness of Mumbai airport workers, and sheer stubbornness. But his crate journey remains one of the most audacious travel hacks in history—a testament to how far a father will go to keep a promise to his kid.

Related Tags