Into Canada – Tuesday, 18 February, 2014
Feb 23rd, 2014 by rallyadmin
It’s a beautiful clear morning. It’s cold but the run up I-29 to the Canadian border is beautiful. There’s not much to look at but at least it’s not snowing.
I stop for fuel and duty free just short of the border. A quick chat with some nice people at the truck stop and back in the truck for Canada. I only have about 1,000 miles to Edmonton where I’m picking up Colin and the goal for today is to make Regina, Saskatchewan. A quick stop at the border and I should do that easily before dark.
I pull up to the immigration window and hand my passport to the customs officer. No hello. Just “Turn off the engine.” Okay. It’s a noisy diesel.
She swipes my passport through the reader and then stares at the screen. Then the questions start. “Any drugs?” “No.” “Any duty free?” Yes, a bottle of rum.” “How much rum?” “I don’t know. A bottle?” “Well look at the bottle!” ‘Uh, 1.17 liter.” Any guns?” “No.” You sure?” “Yes, I’m sure.” She hands back my passport and a yellow sheet of paper. “Okay, Mr. Dubinsky, pull the truck over there and come into the building.” WTF!!
I park the truck and walk into the building. I end up probably looking lost as I enter and a customs officer tells me to get in line which is a queue maze that has no one in it. I walk into the maze and wander to the head of the line. And wait. A few minutes later, a customs officer tells me that “someone will be with you shortly.” And I wait.
A few minutes later another customs office rcomes out of an office and motions me to a spot on the counter. I give him my passport and the cryptic yellow checklist. And the interrogation starts in earnest.
“Why did you come to Canada?” “Tourism.” “Where are you going int Canada?” “Norman Wells.” “Where?” “Norman Wells.” “Where are you staying while you’re in Canada?” “Hotels.” “Gives me the names and addresses.” “I have them in the truck.” “Go get them.” Out to the truck and back with a folder with the reservation confirmations. This is getting ridiulous.
Back to the counter and give him the folder of reservations. “How much money do you have?” “I don’t know – maybe $150. And an ATM card.” “How much can you get with the ATM card?(?)” “I don’t know – $25,000, $50,000.” “any felony or misdemeanor convictions?” “No.”
Just as he asks who is going with me, he sees the list of names in the CC block of an email. “Are these the persons?” “Yes. Well not him. He was killed in a freak hunting accident. Or him because the first guy got killed.” “Just exactly what are you people doing?”
I try to explain the trip to him but he really doesn’t understand. In his mind, no one goes to the Northwest Territories in the the middle of February. I’m sure that he never has and never will. “The trucks might make it but the Subaru will never makes it.” “Oh, have you been there?” “No.” And, I guess, since I’m telling him that I’m going, he really doesn’t believe me. He tells me to have a seat while they do a background check on me.
About 10 minute later, another customs officer comes out and calls me back to the counter. She hands me my passport and tells me to have a nice day. No explanation. Just “Have a nice day.” And no “Welcome to Canada” either. Back to the truck and on the road again.
I head north to Winnipeg and then hang a left and head to Regina. I’m planning on spending the night in Regina. It’ll be still another 500 miles but that’ll make for a short day tomorrow for the drive to Edmonton.
The ride to Regina is very peaceful. The sun is out and there’s very little traffic. The only notable thing is the number of eastbound trains. All carrying tankers with crude only from Alberta and western Saskatchewan. Very long trains and many, many crude tankers. I’m headed to where these tankrs originate. Looks like business is very good.
Just about sundown, I find a Best Western Plus and checkin. Other than the outrageous room price, I can’t discern the Plus part but knowing this is now an “oil” town and rooms are scarce. I believe this is supply and demand in action. Free marketeers rejoice. There’s oil here and the boom is on. Lucky Regina.
Obi-wan
One Response to “Into Canada – Tuesday, 18 February, 2014”
Perhaps a safe assumption that your Eurasian travel log precedes you…