(no subject)

[a_t_rain]

Am in Vancouver. Am also falling asleep, as I had to get up at 4 a.m. (after going to bed at midnight) to catch my flight out, and it's now almost 10 p.m. at home.

This is my second trip to Canada. Apparently I look like a Suspicious Character, because both have involved extensive grilling from the customs and immigration people regarding my personal finances and travel plans before they would let me in the country. This one also involved a thorough search of my (entirely innocent) luggage. But amazingly, the guy missed the one pocket in my backpack that was oozing a mysterious white powder. (Also entirely innocent, I might add; it's soap powder, as I bought a cake of detergent when I was in Spain last year and then forgot all about it until it started to disintegrate, and now I try not to think about that pocket more than necessary :) But this does not exactly fill me with confidence about the whole process.)

Will write more when I'm less sleepy.

Comments

[dreamer-marie.livejournal.com]

It's the pink feathers, they make you look like a terrorist.

[neigedens.livejournal.com]

I agree. Flamingos are the Devil's water-dwelling fowl. :)

[warrioreowyn.livejournal.com]

Weird. I've always found our security to be practically non-existant, especially compared to the US.

[a-t-rain.livejournal.com]

Well, I imagine that security in every country is practically nonexistent if you're from there; I've been casually waved into the US every time, even when I was a very hippieish-looking nineteen-year-old coming back from study abroad in a country where the drinking age was practically nonexistent and the marijuana laws barely enforced. Go figure.

[darth-cabal.livejournal.com]

I went on a trip around the world a few months back. In the beginning, customs barely noticed me. By the end (after traveling through 12 countries, including Turkey, Vietnam, and Thailand), I was being stopped and thoroughly inspected every step of the way. Fun!

What are you doing in Canada?

[bibliophile20.livejournal.com]

Icon Love! :) Is it stealable?

[darth-cabal.livejournal.com]

Sure! I got it from mael (not sure if that's LJ or JF).

[a-t-rain.livejournal.com]

What are you doing in Canada?

Wandering, pretty much. (This may be part of the problem -- they seem to really not like solo travelers without very definite plans about where they're going when.)

[sekhmets-temple.livejournal.com]

Hey, there! Welcome to my town!

The weather's been stupid lately, so while I'm not responsible for it, I still feel the need to apologise. It can't seem to make up its mind: shall I rain or shall I shine or shall I do both twenty times in one day? Anyhow, I hope you have a lovely time here. :)

[gloryforever.livejournal.com]

My boss, who is from Vancouver, says the city is absolutely beautiful and that the weather is even more pleasant than it is here. I hope you're having a good time.

[dharmavati.livejournal.com]

Have a lovely time in Vancouver! Oooh if the wether's nice, I suggest a trip to Grouse Mountain!

[lostcointoss.livejournal.com]

Welcome to Vancouver: we like to greet people with rain. Although, it was sunny this afternoon (which means I might get to work tomorrow), but that probably won't last long. I get stopped all the time at customs. That's usually in the States, though, and I suspect it's because they think all Canadian people under thirty carry weed about in their shoes.
-dark

[tree_and_leaf]

Airport security is odd. I remember once being exhaustively quizzed over an (extremely blunt) picnic knife, to which they greatly objected.

On unpacking I discovered that I'd had my 6 in Opinel (folding knife) which I keep very sharp, because you're more likely to cut yourself with a blunt knife, in my hand luggage all along. It has a round handle, so I'm guessing they thought it was lippy, but still...

[cranberry-crash.livejournal.com]

All of my experiences with Canadian customs/immigration has led me to believe that either A) I fit a profile, B) they're extra-suspicous, or C) they're really bored and get excited when people go through because it gives them something to do. Heh. Enjoy Vancouver!

[mrs-wolf.livejournal.com]

I once managed to get pepper spray through Gatwick. Completely by mistake but it left me cringing. Once I figured it out I went to the embassy and sheepishly handed it over, repeating over and over that it had been a complete accident.

The guard was hot and nice. He disposed of it without telling his superiors.

[cheap-idiocy.livejournal.com]

Ah, The Canadian customs officers... I'm fairly swelling with national pride. With a thoroughly unpractical and random air ( as you noted ) they've achieved a bumbling notoriety here only rivaled by that of The Federal Tax and Revenue Agency. so You're in Vancouver... I used to live there. BC is THE most beautiful place in the world. It just gets flatter from there. Enjoy your trip.

[mrs-wolf.livejournal.com]

I feel a deep attachment to BC which is funny because I've never actually been there (even though I have previously lived about 50 miles from the border).

That may be it, really. God, I love the NW.

One of my hobo friends hoboed from Quebec to BC and completely unromantically took up with a goat named Marvin in a monastery. It's been one of my life-long dreams to do the same.

[gloryforever.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday!!!!!!!!!

[narcissa-malfoy.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday!

[lyras.livejournal.com]

Just popping in to say Happy Birthday! Hope it's a good one, although you're not at home.

Late Birthday wishes

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

Happby Birthday ^__^
I hope you have many more!