Dispatches from the sunburned wastelands

After breakfast with the gang at the Fredericton Delta (whose Belgian waffles is still the best), we decided to drive to the Woodstock border post, to get my work visa renewed. We initially wanted to go to St. Stephen, but because of the wet weather, we decided that the twinned highway from Fredericton to Woodstock would be a better bet.

The Canadian Immigration official at the Woodstock border post was non-plussed: "So how long were you out of the country?" No-no, we just got here from Halifax - this is where we're supposed to pick up my renewed work visa...
"But you have to leave the country and come back in, it says so on this form here." Yes, but I don't have an American visa, see.
"Oh." The official made an unofficial, whispered phone call to his counterpart over at the US border post, telling them about us. It seemed we would have to drive out of Canada, make a U-turn around the US border post, and then drive back into Canada.
"Just drive on over, they said," he informed us, "They promised not to shoot anybody in a grey Volvo."
So we drove out of Canada and entered the US border post. Very friendly, they were too: "Just make sure you turn left past the border post now, DON'T TURN RIGHT, otherwise we'll have to shoot y'all. Have a safe trip back to Canada." And we did. All 250 meters of it.
"Hi," the Canadian Border Guard said, "So how long were you in the US, and what is the purpose of your visit to Canada?"

Posted by HannesB at 6:23 AM Comments