We're back in Canada for the golf season.
My Fella starts his summer gig at our local golf course sometime next week and I'm pretty sure we're both looking forward to that. Yes, we're a happy couple - but c'mon ...we've just spent a solid six months together, traveling in teeny weeny RV. Alone time is underrated :)
I'm relieved to report that going through customs was a breeze compared to last year. March of 2010 we were importing the new RV into Canada and our border crossing took almost two hours.
Two very stressful hours.
You'd think I tried to enter Canada wearing a grass skirt made of marijuana by the way customs grilled me. I was shuffled from building to building, signing papers and answering the same questions over and over. And over. I'm a very detail conscious gal and had all the appropriate paperwork confirming the RV purchase (signed sales contract, title, binder for insurance to bring it into Canada, etc) but for some odd reason, the customs folks didn't believe we actually owned this shiny new RV.
After 90 minutes of interrogation (yes - one and a half hours) the customs folks decided they needed confirmation from my bank that money was indeed transferred from my account to the Arizona RV dealer to pay for JohnnyDisco. It was late on Friday afternoon and I'm just thankful my banker was still at work or who knows how long we would have been stuck at the border.
My banker immediately faxed over copies of the money transfer, plus a note confirming that she herself had initiated the transfer from my account to the RV dealer in Tucson. My banker even went a bit further, stating that I was a very valuable client of the bank and she was surprised I was being detained at the border, in lieu of proof of payment. Especially since the title was clearly in my name. Love that woman. (Thanks Judy!)
By the time I finished with Canada Customs last year I was seething; my legs felt like jello and I would have gladly sucker punched anyone in a uniform. Or pied them in the face.
Not sure how I could possibly be mistaken for a devious, evil RV smuggler (???)
After that little incident we took no chances this year and I was over prepared with documentation:
- our passports
- registration and insurance for both the RV and the car
- the mutts vet papers
- Normans adoption papers
- receipts for US purchases we were declaring
- alcohol and cigars out in full sight, ready for inspection
Guess they tortured me enough last year 'cause our most recent crossing took maybe five minutes.
With no one else in line we drove right up to the open booth. And within five minutes we were cruising into Canada.
This is Norman's first time in the country so it was a big deal for the whole family.
Welcome home, little dude!
We arrived back in Xico this week as well - enjoying the cooler weather and life in the small village (pueblita)
Welcome home
Posted by: John Calypso | April 16, 2011 at 06:00 AM
You never know how it is going to be going thru customs. Does anyone have any advice for insuring our new rv, all ICBC or ICBC and private?
Posted by: Don | April 16, 2011 at 09:17 AM
Senor C - your trip home was a LOT more eventful than ours was. What a frustrating pain in the butt... glad you eventually made it home safe.
Posted by: kelsi | April 20, 2011 at 07:19 PM
Mr P - my blog buddy Mexi-Croft would probably have good advice for insurance; hopefully he sees your comment.
We just have ICBC because we don't have many removable valuables in JohnnyDisco.
Posted by: kelsi | April 20, 2011 at 07:22 PM
I will look into it because years ago our mixed ICBC and private insurance gave us free warranties on our RV appliances, replacement value up to 10 years old and unlimited towing, and it was slightly cheaper to boot!
Posted by: Don | April 21, 2011 at 06:47 AM
Oh my. My import took about 1/2 an hour - I was like - errr... you sure you don't want to look inside? I could have smuggled TONS of cheese. :-)
It may have helped that I went through around midnight through the Sweetgrass site.
Posted by: Jacq | April 23, 2011 at 09:31 AM
jjolie - no kidding! After the 2 hour hassle I went through with five different agents INSIDE customs, they didn't even bother coming OUTSIDE to go through the RV.
??????
Posted by: kelsi | April 23, 2011 at 06:29 PM
Mr P - I'll be interested to hear who you decide to insure with and what extras they offer, if any.
Posted by: kelsi | April 23, 2011 at 06:32 PM