Welcome Back To Canada
Andrew writes:
I’m not sure what the impetus is, but it feels like we are in a hurry to get back to Canada, and get onto our bicycles.
We spent all day in the car, driving along the coast again, first from Gold Beach, to Vancouver, Washington. Then we hopped onto the I-5 to drive straight north to Canada the next day.
I imagined that the conversation with the border guard would go something like this:
Border Guard: Where do you live?
Andrew: Ummm, in my tent, on a beach or in the forest.
Border Guard: Ok, and where have you been for the last 5 months?
Andrew: Mexico.
Border Guard: And what do you do for work?
Andrew: I don’t. I’m retired.
Border Guard: But it says here that you’re only 35…
Andrew: Yup!
Border Guard: What about her? (points at Amanda)
Amanda: Me too!
Border Guard: So what do you do about money?
Andrew: Spend it.
Border Guard: Ok, just pull over up ahead and get ready to be strip-searched.
Andrew: Yay!
When we made it to the border, the conversation was somewhat similar, and we did end up spending two-hours inside while they searched the car for illicit drugs. Part of the problem may have been attributed to the fact that my passport sustained some water damage, and my picture was a little faded. In any event, we were allowed back into Canada. Great success!
We stopped in at Amanda’s sisters house in Tsawwassen to spend the night before getting onto the ferry the following day to go and get our bikes from Andrew’s uncle in Parksville.