Border crossing decisions

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by emers382

Myron I can't get Google to plot that route, don't know why you got that going into Canada twice route. Highway 3 is certainly not gravel, it's the main route across the southern part of BC. We took it from Osoyoos to Alberta in 2017.

I cannot understand the concern about fresh food coming into Canada. We usually bring groceries in and they never ask what are the groceries. It's going into the US that you have to declare fruit, vegs, and meat, and only meat is allowed anyway, no fresh fruit or vegetables.

Yes big new signs (at least on the Canadian side) near the border saying no cannabis products allowed at the border. So you can't bring those favourite THC products into Canada even though they're legal here. Just shop for them once in Canada, but then you must consume before crossing back into the US, even WA.

When I declared the fresh blueberries I was taking into Canada a few years back, they confiscated them. The interesting thing is they were labeled grown in Canada...

[gbaglo]

I declared two cases of Molson Canadian of four that I purchased in Blaine Wa. during a brewery strike in BC. I was prepared to pay duty.
At the time there was a limit and I was required to stand at a sink and pour them out as the border agent opened them. all the while listening to jeers from others heading into Canada.

Agent did say I could go back to the States, leave two cases somewhere, bring two through, leave them somewhere, go back to US and bring the other two through.

[EdColorado]

Originally Posted by MyronL

I take a shelf load of meds twice a day. In the past when going on trips we would separate doses in twice a day sandwich bags labeled AM and PM. Saves time, insures accurate dosage for me if I am traveling solo. Wonder if that's a mistake when border crossing, opening up a border police challenge because they're not in their pharmacy containers.

Per an article in The NY Times.
Carry all of your medication — even vitamins and supplements — in their original, clearly marked containers or packaging in a clear plastic bag in carry on luggage. Make sure the name on the prescription, the medicine container and your passport (or one for the recepient of the medication) all match.Jan 19, 2018

[emers382]

Originally Posted by MyronL

I take a shelf load of meds twice a day. In the past when going on trips we would separate doses in twice a day sandwich bags labeled AM and PM. Saves time, insures accurate dosage for me if I am traveling solo. Wonder if that's a mistake when border crossing, opening up a border police challenge because they're not in their pharmacy containers.

Myron I don't know about coming into Canada but once had my bag searched entering the US and was questioned about my pills in a weekly container, didn't have the original prescription bottles. They made it clear all bottles must enter as well. Of course we've never been asked on dozens of entries into the US since when we've had all the bottles with us every time.

So I'd say you'd better have all the bottles with you. The concern I was told was that the big fish pills (even non-script) could have had illegal drugs inserted.

[emers382]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I suspect that at the crossing which you use the agents are accustomed to locals who are grocery shopping and unlikely to take items of concern to areas where they are grown in Canada.

Good point Brian. We come home from Thunder Bay through 45 minutes of MN. We always stop at the food store in Warroad. The border crossing just north of there has many people from the SE corner of MB who do all their grocery shopping there because there's nowhere else as close. In fact the people in that corner of our province get emergency medical treatment in MN with a special arrangement with our provincial government because there's no hospital anywhere close to them except in MN.

[Donna D.]

For my Big Trip last year, my travel buddy had a carload of medicines, injectors and OTC stuff. She has RA and osteoporosis. Her medications took an entire cabinet in the dinette to hold it all. PLUS a shelf in the refrigerator door. Everything was in the original containers and to prepare to cross the border, most was in a big ole cardboard box inside the truck. The injectors were a cooler, also in the cab of the truck. The refrigerator was cold, but empty.

We tried to prepare for whatever the border guards may ask/need and hoped to cross without issues. It went as we hoped! Zero issues.

After we crossed, the first night, Judy spent about 45 minutes sorting everything into her AM/PM containers. It seemed like a PITA at the time, but it really wasn't all that bad. Far better than problems!

[MyronL]

Good advice. Will do that.

Next thing: I don't own a cell phone. Nancy has one, with Verizon. To keep in touch during these separations I usually buy a cheapo burner and a month's service. I got one at the super market. Called the "Total Wireless" service (phones and cards) to confirm their rules and was told their phones will not work in Canada. No antenna service, so really not so "Total." An extra ten bucks and you can buy an international card but it's only for calling from the US. Want to call from Osoyoos.

Went to Verizon here in ABQ to find out if I could just add that burner to Nancy's cell account as a second phone. He said no, it wouldn't use the same antennas. Instead he was more than willing to tie me into a 24month contract with Verizon for an extra $20 bucks a month. Argh. I spend little to no time taking or making telephone calls.

My next move? Costco?

[gbaglo]

If you have a computer with you, you could us Whatsapp.

WhatsApp Messenger is a freeware, cross-platformmessaging and Voice over IP (VoIP) service owned by Facebook.[45] It allows the sending of text messages and voice calls, as well as video calls, images and other media, documents, and userlocation.[46][47] The WhatsApp client application runs on mobile devices but is also accessible from desktopcomputers while the mobile device is connected to the Internet. The service requires[48]users to provide a standard cellular mobile number.


If you have a Mac, you could use Facetime. There is also Skype.

[cpaharley2008]

Myron, if I have service you are welcome to call home from my phone. Osoyoos is close enough to US that if I remember correctly, some portions I had service and other parts -0-. Maybe it was down closer to the lake, either way, if I get a signal you can call home.

[Oldtimer]

Myron, you are more than welcome to use our phone to call home we have International calling on ours while in Canada.

David and Vicki

[MyronL]

Thank you, guys, much appreciated. I will bring along my laptop and have g-mail so I won't be completely out of touch. Regardless, will be needing a phone for during the drive up. Would like to kill three birds with one phone. At&T says they provide service in Canada. The big issue seems to be finding a way to avoid being locked into a 24 month contract commitment. The hunt continues.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Thank you, guys, much appreciated. I will bring along my laptop and have g-mail so I won't be completely out of touch. Regardless, will be needing a phone for during the drive up. Would like to kill three birds with one phone. At&T says they provide service in Canada. The big issue seems to be finding a way to avoid being locked into a 24 month contract commitment. The hunt continues.

T-Mobile does plans with service in Canadia and *no* contract. You can buy one of their SIM cards if you already have a phone that will work on their towers. Not that it matters, but the service in Canadia is actually provided by Canadian carriers via contract with T-Mobile.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

Not that it matters, but the service in Canada is actually provided by Canadian carriers via contract with T-Mobile.

That will be true of every provider. No U.S. company operates a network in Canada, and no Canadian company operates a network in the U.S. It easy to find a company which provides service in both countries by contracting the service outside of their home territory (perhaps with multiple Canadian networks); the challenge is to find one that gives you good terms (price, contract length or lack of, etc.)

Although there are several brand names of wireless service in Canada, there are fewer actual system operators. There are only four actual networks with nationwide service (and one is a generation behind in most areas), but they have eleven brands. Each of the four probably has deals with one or more U.S. providers. Your U.S. provider might (but might not) tell you which Canadian network they use.

By the way, I don't know what the situation is today, but for many years the Rogers network was distinctly inferior in rural areas to the companies that started as regular phone companies: Bell and Telus.

[h2owmn]

My Verizon plan includes Mexico and Canada with no extra charge.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by h2owmn

My Verizon plan includes Mexico and Canada with no extra charge.

Yes & no. Check the data usage limits for a US plan in Canada. As I crossed the border I got a text message telling me that I can use my "Beyond Unlimited" phone plan just as I do in the US. What it didn't tell me is my unlimited data became 0.5 GB/day of 4G LTE speed data after crossing the border, and only if you could find a participating cell tower.

While that may be plenty for many, for a photographer trying to do lots of image postings to a blog or web page, it doesn't work all that well...

[suncoastdancers]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

T-Mobile does plans with service in Canadia and *no* contract. You can buy one of their SIM cards if you already have a phone that will work on their towers. Not that it matters, but the service in Canadia is actually provided by Canadian carriers via contract with T-Mobile.

I have a friend from New Mexico that summers four months each year in BC.

He is on T-Mobile and has had no issues with service. Roaming is included, local and long distance to Canada and US, however data is purposefully downgraded to G3 when roaming. Runs on Telus I believe, which has excellent coverage, when not shadowed by a mountain!.

[arniesea]

My Verizon plan as an option to add international service in Canada for $5 a day. (There are other options if one is going to be there longer.) I set up my phone for international, then also set it as a wireless hotspot. My wife's phone and my iPad then connect via WiFi to my Phone and use its data. We turn off the cell data option on both of those devices before we cross the boarder to avoid roaming charges.

Oh, I just remembered, I got an International SIM card for my phone a few years back. I just transferred the SIM card from my iPhone 7 to my iPhone X when I upgraded. A quick phone call to Verizon made the transfer complete. So some of my options may be related to my International SIM card.

[MyronL]

Being cell phone senior-challenged, it was Costco to the rescue yesterday. Bought their $149.99 Motorola Moto G6, which works with any service, anywhere. Justin (whatta guy!) set everything up for me, SIM card, etc etc and Pre-pay T-Mobile on a month to month basis. I made my first phone call from the store. All options now open.

[JStelly]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Being cell phone senior-challenged, it was Costco to the rescue yesterday. Bought their $149.99 Motorola Moto G6, which works with any service, anywhere. Justin (whatta guy!) set everything up for me, SIM card, etc etc and Pre-pay T-Mobile on a month to month basis. I made my first phone call from the store. All options now open.

Great choice! I got the same phone two weeks ago. Amazon has the same phone for 159.00 and their “bloatware” so Costco is a great deal. We travel a few times a year internationally so we will buy an in country SIM card for the duration of each trip. Voice and data are so much cheaper than in the US and Canada.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Being cell phone senior-challenged, it was Costco to the rescue yesterday. Bought their $149.99 Motorola Moto G6, which works with any service, anywhere. Justin (whatta guy!) set everything up for me, SIM card, etc etc and Pre-pay T-Mobile on a month to month basis. I made my first phone call from the store. All options now open.

So Myron, can I borrow your phone to call home?........... just kidding. Have a safe trip.