Made it!! Crossed Canada…barely
I don’t know how many times I rehearsed what to say at the border to win approval and get in. Which angle do I use? I took a covid test before leaving and had a negative confirmation. Canada doesn’t require it but I thought it would show due diligence. After all what is most important to them is that they don’t get covid from any of us Americans. But doesn’t seem that a negative test really matters.. The only thing that matters is that you have written proof of a job, sale of your house, or are in the military. Without that, no entry. Restrictions are tighter than ever before.
At the border you first get grilled by the agent at the window who takes your credentials. Then you are told to park and wait. Jody with whom I was caravaning and I anxiously waited. Did we get in or not???? She is a freelance photographer. But without a contract showing scheduled work in the the Lower 48, she was not going to be allowed in according to the agent who came out. She spent a lot of time talking with the agent. Then he came to me to tell me their rules & regulations and saying that unless I could produce something showing confirmed work in the US, I would be denied entry. I produced the contingent job offer I had from Amazon for their RV camperforce at their distribution centers. (Cheap labor for them.) It worked!! Evidently there were others who had also had this contingent offer and he was familiar with it. But that meant that I could get in and Jody couldn’t. But….she was able to quickly get a contract sent for a shoot that she had been talking to a client about. Without internet though, she was going to have to return to Tok to get reception to download. I was going to go back with her assured that I had entry on my return. As she left though returning to the US, she was able to get a signal and the contract came through! I went in to the customs building and said that she had it! They said I could tell her to come back. Success!!!! After about 2 hours of gnashing teeth…
Then it was a 4-day marathon to get through to the US border. Beautiful fall and lots of wildlife. Nice drive but tired butt!! Wish we could have lingered. Most days were 10-hour days with sleep at a pullout. A couple of times we were driving in the dark trying to find one. Not fun. Finally on day 4 we reached the border..
I hope that now there is a $5 rapid test with results available in 15” (thank you Abbott Laboratories)that the border starts using that for entry instead of a job, etc. Doesn’t that make sense? Just get a test before entry and viola! Easy.
