Monday, July 26, 2010

Welcome To Canada! (I think)

Max and I decided to head to the border to Canada to meet some online friends.  The last time I was in this country, I was 10 so I don't really remember what it was like to cross the border. I suppose when you travel to another country, you need to have a specific plan in place.  As you know, I like to wander around and make up the journey as I go and I decided at the last minute to go north to meet some nice folks I found on the internet a while back that travel in their airstream part of the time and work at a motel when they are not traveling.

Sometimes I meet people without talking to them on the phone or even through email.  I don't remember how I came across Kim and Deb's blog, but I enjoyed it and Kim made a few comments on my blog so I decided to see what their life was like in Canada.

When asked why I was coming to Canada by the border police, I said, "I'm meeting some friends I met online."  Then they asked why I was meeting them, how I knew them, where they lived, etc.  Immediately, I was flagged as suspect and sent inside the office.  While in the office, I was asked the same questions.  It's a good thing I wrote down the address moments before crossing.  Even so, that didn't seem to justify my story.  The border police wanted her phone number so I dug in my email and supplied that to her.  Once I did, she looked at me with a very serious face and tone and said, "that phone number isn't from around here."  I said, "I don't know what to tell you, that's the number."  Her suspicions deepened and consequently, I had to go out to the car, take Max out and put him in a kennel so she could search the car.  While I was kenneling Max, she called Kim to see if her story matched mine, which it did.

After she searched the car, she came to me and said, "how come you have so much stuff in there?" Well, I am traveling for months in my car and I need things to camp with but I guess I need to travel lighter.  Who knows?  In the end she let Max and I proceed into the country.

What if I didn't have a destination in mind?  I am not sure that the country wants people wandering around seeing the sights.  I am glad I was able to get through and get on our way, regardless.

Just an hour away, we met Kim and Deb at the motel they run and lucky for us, they offered their 1974 Airstream Overlander to sleep in.  This was my first time sleeping in an Airstream and I know it won't be the last.  It was so nice to meet these two.  They treated us so well with their hospitality and cooked some delicious meals!  The area is pretty incredible.  Click HERE to visit their blog.  I look forward to sharing more of the sights with you soon.

6 comments:

Roger said...

I watch Kim and Deb's blog also so I was waiting to hear your story. Back in 2002 we didn't get a real warm and fuzzy from our crossing guard. He was very fixated on weapons. He asked "Did you bring any weapons?" I replied "No, I know your laws about that". He then asked, "How many guns did you bring?" Geesh

2 weeks later we were in a hot tub with some Canadians and found out some reasons of the feelings toward the USA. They did not like the 'American' culture trying to gain hold in Canada and they were mad that people thought the terrorists and Mad Cow came from them.

We didn't say a word.

Have a good stay!

Erik Smith said...

I was surprised at how unfriendly the border police entering Canada were when I visited a couple years ago. It was clear by the stuff I was bringing in that I was a tourist, yet they held me up for hours.

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but the U.S. border officers were even more unpleasant, locking me in a room with no bathroom privileges for over two hours. When they finally let me out, they wouldn't let me use the bathroom at the border post. When I got into the van every suitcase and box I was traveling with were emptied and the contents left in a huge pile in the middle of my van. They'd even dumped out my cooler full of water and ice in the same pile with all my other stuff. I wrote a letter and received a half-hearted apology a few months later, but I can't imagine going back to Canada anytime soon.
I love your blog (especially when you are out on the road). Safe travels from another dog lover! Max is a lucky dog!

Sinbad and I on the Loose said...

I was going to say that I'll be very interested in your post about crossing the border back into the U.S., but I see Erik Smith has already tipped you off. I wish you an easy trouble free re-entry. My main concern, and I don't want to alarm you, is for Max. I hope you have health and shot records about him with you just in case the border guard is having a bad day.

cumulus said...

What? No photos of the Canadian border guards?

Anonymous said...

Before reading your post I thought you'd run into some problem crossing the border with Max. Crossing borders can really be troublesome with pets.

Strange world we live in. The same happened to a friend of mine who flew to Hawaii to visit a friend. She was picking her up at the airport and didn't have her home address at hand. Immigration authorities at LAX found this the uttermost suspicious and kept her in a holding cell for a few hours...

I been to the US (live in Europe) several times and never had any difficulties myself, but once I flew with my cousin and his 12 year old son. We had to go through Immigration at Newark separately and they didn't allow us to wait for the kid!

Love your blog. Never been to Canada, though;-)

Christina said...

Hi Alison, we travel to the US as snowbirds every winter and find that entering the US is so nice and coming home is a pain in the ...well you know... I don't know why it has to be so difficult. We have taken to crossing in Detroit/Windsor to come back to Canada... nicer folks there! Check out my blog www.christinaschronicles.blogspot.com
Christina and Richard

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