BORDER CROSSING

I decided that I would skip across the border to Omak in Washington State, on Tuesday to do a hit and run shopping trip to Wal Mart. Omak is around 125k's from Okanagan Falls and the border crossing is at the Canadian border town of Osoyoos.

It is a distance to go shopping but it is worth it as most items are anything from 10%- 60% cheaper in the US.

Because of the huge hassle I had re-entering Canada in early November I checked my passport and my Canadian paperwork on the Monday before the trip just to make sure all was in order. For this entry into Canada I was given a formal piece of paper which was stapled to my passport and it lays out the conditions of my entry and stay into Canada. Part of this paperwork was folded and out of sight and when I unfolded it on Monday I received a shock as typed at the bottom of the document were the words, "THIS DOES NOT AUTHORIZE RE-ENTRY INTO CANADA."

Damn did this mean if I left Canada they wouldn't let me back in? I couldn't take that risk so I spent an hour trying to get an answer to this question. Of course all of the immigration enquiry lines were automated and I wasn't able to talk to a "real" person. All I could do was go to the border on Tuesday and ask someone there. Not a great option but the only one available to me.

It was a beautiful day on Tuesday, one of those crisp, clear cold days where it is a pleasure to drive. I arrived at the border crossing which is rather large as it houses Canadian Border Control on one side and on the other American Border Control. There were no signs anywhere to direct a person to an enquiry centre so I had to make a few guesses and park the car and walk.

I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing as I was walking across the roadway where the border control boxes are, I was half expecting siren's and gunshots but nothing happened. I went to the enquiry counter and spoke to a very young Canadian Border Control Officer who only confused me more.

She said I maybe able to re-enter Canada and maybe not. It all depends what it has on my dossier. Dossier? Yes I have a dossier and if it says I have a criminal record or if I am deemed undesirable, well re-entry maybe refused. I asked her could she checked before I crossed? She said she couldn't because that wasn't the protocol.

I said to her that it was a roll of the dice for me and I had to take my chances? She nodded sagely and said that was right. Great!

With some trepidation I decided to risk it as I have a trip to California planned for late December and I had to know before then.

So I got in the line to enter the USA. They ran a German Shepherd drug, sniffer dog over the car and in such circumstances you can't help but being a little nervous. You just pray that the dog doesn't stop and go into some sort of meltdown around your car. Thankfully it didn't.

The Homeland Security guy was nice enough, all the standard questions, where are you going in the US, why are you going there, how long are you going to stay, ect, ect. I felt pretty smug as I had a newly issued 5 year American visa in my passport but I was quickly deflated when I was told that I didn't have a "white slip" in my passport. I was told to pull over and report to the office.

The office was full of gun-toting Homeland Security officers just waiting for someone, anyone to make a false move. That wasn't going to be me so I was all yes sir and no sir's to them. They tried to tell me that it was my fault that I didn't have the white slip and my explanation just didn't cut it with them.

Thankfully this wasn't a great drama and they had to issue me with a new one to go in my passport as proof of entry into the US. For this I had to pay Uncle Sam $6. But I was through and away on Highway 97 on my way to Omak. A single lane highway all the way to Omak and I suppose this is what you call backwoods America, full of pick up trucks, good 'ol boy's and rifles.

Omak is a reasonably small town and its claim to fame is the Omak Stampede Rodeo which includes the "World Famous Suicide Race," (Their words). I was lucky enough to attend the Stampede in early August and it was a great experience and an opportunity to get a taste of the "real America." So Omak isn't all that big but it does have a Super Wal Mart. Interesting mix of people in the store, lots of old folks and an awful lot of Mexicans, enough to have many Mexican grocery lines in the store.

It was a smash and grab, get in get out trip and I achieved my aim in short time and loaded up my trolley with goodies. Withing 70 minutes I was back on the road for home.

On the way back I caught an interesting sight. A Washington State Trooper had pulled over a car going in the opposite direction, nothing strange in that but the car the State Trooper was driving was different. The car was around 15 years old, dirty, battered and beat up, no way in the world would suspect that this was a police car. It was only the red and blue lights in the grill, dashboard and rear window of the car that gave it away.

On the way back I stopped at the tiny town of Tonasket to visit an antique shop called Aussie Antiques with a picture of a kangaroo hanging out the front. I had stopped before but the store was closed. I went in, had a look around, found nothing interesting and was walking out when the owner said thanks for visiting, I gave him a standard "thanks mate" and he almost had a fit.

"You an Aussie?" he asked. "Yeah," I answered as I continued out the door with my new friend following close behind.

It turns out his name was Colin and he was from Bunbury in Western Australia and had been in Tonasket for 13 years after marrying an American girl. He looked like Michael Palin and was a real nice bloke. He said that they don't get many Australian's at all through this neck of the woods and he just wanted to chat.

As we stood outside his shop chatting he motioned to two young people in their twenties crossing the road, they were relatives of Colin from Bondi Beach. Well you know the small world thing, so here was another example I was born in Bondi and spent the first 10 years or so there. These guys even knew the street where I lived. Go figure!

I left Colin promising to call in whenever I went to Omak.

It was with some trepidation that I waited in line to cross back into Canada. Finally it was my turn and I drove to the booth and handed across my passport with a cheery g'day mate and a bright, but forced smile. Thankfully I had a happy and chatty border control guy who asked me the usual questions of where I have been, how long, what did I buy, ect, ect. He informed me that he loved Australia and that is where he was going to retire as it was too cold in Canada.

He hardly appeared to look at my passport as he spent most of the time scanning my receipt for groceries. He informed me that I had more than the allowable $20 worth of dairy but was going to let it go. He gave me back my passport and gave me a cheery goodbye.

I had done it I was back in Canada! I like the States but there is something about the place, I just feel better off in Canada, not sure what it is.

So that was Allan's really excellent Wal Mart adventure, long and convoluted but successful in the end.