We go to take the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles, Washington State, US. Crossing the border was the easiest and funniest. The customs office is on the way to the ferry, after the waiting hall. The office was so small, I took only my passport to check if there is really the customs. Since I was there, they checked the passport, got in 5 seconds the OK. Then I say, sorry, I forgot my girlfriend. I came back. We started to write some postcards. We couldn’t finish before the last person passed the customs, so they call for us. We are not under stress, but hurrying makes me forget a bag in the waiting hall … Can you imagine this scene in an American Customs Office ? At the end, Emilie asked to extended a little bit her authorization, the officer didn’t ask any question, she just said ‘how long do you want?’ and did it right away!
There is a clear trend, from east to west, it’s easier and easier to cross the border. But for sure it matters the number of entries on the passport:
1. Montreal to Boston – in a shared car with some French. I spent 20 minutes to show them that I have an address and company in Belgium, that I have a Cuban visa, in order to let me in. It didn’t matter. I had to show them some business emails !!
2. Calais to St Stephens – walking a bridge, but the person who took us wanted to give us his phone number, he drove in parallel with us, so he hide us from the sight of custom officers. They searched our luggage for 30 minutes, at 10 pm. At the question: any drugs, I had to say that I have half of Cuban cigar … There was the first sign of sympathy and understanding. Otherwise, 3 times I heard ‘DON’T TOUCH YOUR LUGGAGE’. Let me find myself.
3. Niagara falls. All tourists, but still, long interview with everyone. we missed the bus, so we had to wait for another hour.
4. London-Detroit – by bus it was fairly easy, but it took some time to check all the bus.
5. Sweet Grass, from Montana to Canada, Alberta – to update the entry pass of Emilie was very easy. We walked with all our luggage in Canada, then we went back to US, so they prolonged with no worries.
6. In Glacier park in the last night, at the fire we spoke with two border officers. During 3 hours of friendly discussions at the fire, they sneezed several questions, to cross confirm our story. Because someone could not find her food bag, one officer asked me to check my backpack. I was sure I hadn’t got it by mistake, but I felt that it’s very important for him to see my reaction at his quest. So I did it, of course, the moment I finished, the person found her pack. I asked them what’s the purpose to check in the mountains, between 2 developed countries. They said it’s due to smuggling of drugs and child pornography. When I said that these days it’s so easy to control a drone, one of them became particularly careful about what I was saying. So I told them the story of the trend crossing the border, saying that I hope that on the west coast I’ll smoke some weed with the customs officers.
7. Bus from Seattle to Vancouver it was fairly easy
8. Victoria – Port Angeles – hilarious 🙂