Run For The Border!

Living in Montreal, I guess I've always taken it for granted that the American border is only a 45 minute drive away and we can pretty much pop down any time we want. I've spoken to a lot of Americans, however, who tell me they've never tried crossing by car because they don't know what to expect and are scared.

Hopefully I can demystify things a bit because the Canadian-American border is actually a very easy border to cross and I assure you it's not scary. You will be asked some questions and if you have nothing to hide, it's not a problem at all.

Keep in mind, this is coming from a woman of colour, who has not always maintained employment, often travels with a white man and sometimes our white child, and has crossed the border at some odd times of day and night. If we can all get through, surely you can!

Here's the breakdown of the sorts of questions you'll probably be asked:

• What is the purpose of your trip? Where are you going? When are you coming back?
• How do the people in the car know each other?
• Do you have anything to declare?
• Do you have any alcohol or cigarettes?
• Have you ever been arrested?
• Are you returning any merchandise to the US/Canada or leaving anything there?
• Where are you from?
• What is your occupation?
• Is this your car?
• Can you open your trunk? (Border officer will take a quick peak and will often open any coolers or bags. They do this most often in the summer. Check after because they often neglect to close coolers they've opened, which is annoying!)
• Where will you be staying?
• Do you have any firearms on you?
• How much money do you have on you?

They will usually ask a random combination of a few of the above. It's best to answer directly, "yes," or "no," and make eye contact. Don't start making jokes about the small stow-away you've crammed into your modified dashboard. Don't say you don't know or start making strange sudden movements. 

Things that will make your life easier when crossing:

• Have proper identification - that means a valid passport or enhanced license (Licence Plus)
• Supporting documents like a visa, permanent resident card, birth certificate, marriage certificate, letter of permission to take a minor out of the country, or car registration, as the case may be
• Eat or throw out any fruits, vegetables, flowers or plants that are in your car before you cross. They will be confiscated by border agents and thrown out! (Kinder Surprise toys are also not allowed in the US)
• Have everyone take off their sunglasses and hats
• Get a Nexus card so you can go through the express lane and answer fewer questions

Border wait times are longest during the summer and in the afternoon. Crossing at odd hours - pretty much anytime after 10pm and before 8am - will get you through the fastest. Also, if you have the choice of more than one border-crossing, pick the one in the smallest town. 

That's pretty much it, so get out there and enjoy the freedom we have here and happy border crossings!

Driving In Montreal

My father was a mechanical engineer. He loved driving. He believed everyone MUST learn to drive (and learn to swim). It was a lifeskill of PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. He was accident-free until the day he died, after over 35 years of driving. Luckily I inherited a similar love of driving and I believe a similar skill (though I can't claim being 100% accident-free - there was that one time with the food poisoning and a concrete wall....)
I believe I learned from one of the best and I learned here in my hometown of Montreal. I passed my test during a snowstorm. I can drive standard or automatic and I don't lose my cool on the aggressive, falling apart, pothole-ridden chaos that are the roads of Montreal.

However, my advice for visitors who want to drive in Montreal is: DON'T DO IT!

Really, it's probably not worth the headache. We have a web of one-way streets that will make you crazy. Our infrastructure has been deemed worse than most of the Third-World's. Parking can be an expensive nightmare - also once you do find one, you better know how to parallel park and quickly! We are speed demons on the road who will cut you off in a second, from the left or right. Stop signs are taken as suggestions. Yellow lights mean speed up and get through the intersection. It is all a bit wild, but once you understand it, you'll see the chaos actually has a sense of predictability to it. Many people here drive like they don't care if they get killed or kill you. If you're ok to take that chance, by all means, come play Russian Road Roulette with us.

On the plus side, we have an amazing extensive public transport system. The majority of our taxi drivers are decent, non-shady characters. We have wonderful sections of the city reserved purely for pedestrians and of course we have the largest underground city in the world. Who needs a car in the city then?
I'll concede you do probably want a car to get out of the city, though our commuter trains are a very comfortable and affordable way to do that.

All that said, if you really are game to drive, there are a few things you should know:

• All our road signs are in French. "Arrêt" means stop. "Congestion" means traffic and "bloqué" means the road/exit is blocked. Since we're under almost constant construction, you'll see lots of that, in addition to "detour." A "sortie" is an exit and an "Expy" is an expressway.
• You can't turn right on a red light on the island of Montreal. Obey any restrictions for right turns on reds when off the island.
• This tip is useful for all of Canada: even numbered highways run east-west and odd numbered run north-south.
• Flashing green lights give you priority turn priviledges.
• You do not need to yield at flashing yellow lights. You need to treat flashing red lights as a stop sign.
• At a four-point stop, the person on the right has the "right of way." I'll put this loosely though as much of the time, it goes by who got there first.
• When you see a green arrow, you can go straight but NOT TURN unless it turns to a full green light or a turning arrow.
• A sign with a black straight arrow means you cannot turn, you MUST continue straight, even if it would be theorectically possible. Don't anger locals or upset the flow of traffic by trying to get away with it.
• There are some signs that prohibit turns during certain hours, usually during rush hours. They're in 24 hour time, so understand the system before you get on the road.
• While there are exceptions, most Montreal drivers seem to be extra impatient with outside license plates. Don't take it personally.
• We have speed cameras, so you'll receive a bill in the mail if caught.
• The secret to winter driving is to go SLOWLY. Don't stomp on the brakes either. Everything must be done with a light touch. Winter tires are obligatory on all vehicles from December 15th til March 15th, but Communauto is exempt.
• Children up to 40lbs and 63cm must travel in an appropriate safety seat and never in the front seat. Taxis are exempt from this requirement.

Above all, use common sense,  keep your eyes open and bring a bucket full of nerves and patience with you.
Good luck and happy driving!

Feel free to comment with other tips and experiences!

Sometimes You Have to Pay to Be Alone

Ever since the birth of my son, I've been waiting for the day I could have a weekend to sleep alone, undisturbed. It was my birthday this weekend, so I took my first opportunity in two years to be ALL ALONE.

I got a deal for Le St.Sulpice hotel from SniqueAway. Just a note, this is my second time using SniqueAway and I'm really impressed with them so far. Booking has been easy and the hotels have been top notch!

In this case, the name is really apt, as I really felt like I was sneaking away. I told my childless friend about what I was doing and he laughed, "oh yeah, I forgot, when you have kids you have to pay to be alone!" So don't take those moments of quiet for granted, people! Just because you see someone traveling alone, it doesn't mean they're lonely.

                                     Lots of space for me to stretch out, ALONE!

I got a deluxe suite - it had a closed bedroom and a kitchenette. I took a quiet and relaxing bath (forgot to take a picture of it!), read some magazines and did my nails. I was on the second floor and it being a Saturday night in Montreal meant there was quite a bit of street noise coming in, but that didn't bother me. 

I found free parking on the street (otherwise valet would have been $28/night and they warn of a 30 minute wait to retrieve your vehicle, ouch!). It's in a great location in the Vieux-Port though - north of de la Commune (the main street that runs along the St. Lawrence in the Old Port) and just south of the Notre-Dame Basilica. 

                                          My big empty, but not lonely bed.

My bedroom was totally closed off and away from any windows, so there was hardly any noise and it was pitch black, just the way I like to sleep. I'll admit, I still wondered about how my little guy was doing without me, but in the end, it was totally worth it to pay to get away. I'm a more refreshed mommy and I can't wait til he's a bit older and I can get away by myself for at least a week to do more solo traveling. 

The Friday Five

Live Journal has a community called Friday Five which posts 5 questions every week. This week was about travel, so I thought it would be a bit of a fun way for you to get to know a bit more about me.


1) What is your favorite way to travel (ship, place, car, train, etc)?

Plane and then car. I like which ever way is fastest.

2) Who is your favorite person to travel with?

My hubby and my best friend. They are both people I seem to be in sync with - we need to pee at the same times, we need to eat at the same times. These things are good when travelling with someone else. Otherwise, I really prefer to just go alone.

3) What is the best vacation you've ever taken?

At the top of my list, other than Europe and Morocco by myself, some of those New England roadtrips with Hubby were pretty darn cool.

4) Where will your next vacation be to?

Probably Florida or the Bahamas again. We're suckers for the ocean.

5) If you had the time and money to go anywhere you wanted, where would you go?

Beijing to see a friend of mine, but mostly more of Europe. Or Hawaii and Thailand. More warm islands!

Passport Privilege

My Canadian and Barbadian Passports side by side.

I've had Canadian passports since I was a teenager and thought nothing of it. I accepted it as a given - I'm Canadian, therefore I can have one, it's easy, end of story. I think at the time it was about $80 plus the photograph, which was (and still is) a fair amount of money, but my parents thought it was a needed expense and I got it. It wasn't until I spoke to some friends that I discovered they never got one because their parents couldn't afford it and they never went anywhere anyway.

***

This winter I applied for my Barbadian passport while I was visiting. I was supposed to get it back during the time I was there, but I ended up leaving early. My uncle had to pick it up and told me a friend of my father's would bring it back to me here in Montreal. He ended up staying longer, so I had to wait for my cousin to visit in May. It was a whole three months of waiting - and I don't really like having my personal identification out of my possession! When I finally got it, it made me feel like I'd won the lottery! Now I can pass through customs in Barbados or any of the CariCom countries much faster!

***

My discovery of the Passport Party Project last week reminded me what a privilege it is to have one, let alone two. (And yes, I realize I'm very privileged to be a citizen of two countries which allow dual citizenship!)

The fact is, if you're going to dream, you might as well dream big. A journey can start with one small step. So why not start with the passport and see if the rest of the cards start to fall into place? Don't be scared to take the first step.

A passport really is your ticket through the first door. It really does open up the rest of the world. And when you get it in your hands, you'll feel like you just won the lottery.

Picture Post

My six month old (at the time) on the plane to Florida


Our last family vacation in Florida. Little Man was 18 months old

The Passport Party Project

I just got introduced to The Passport Party Project on my Twitter feed and you can find them on Facebook here.

Not being American, I didn't realize that only 30% Americans actually have a passport! (As of 2009, 56% of Canadians have a passport)

That's shocking to me, but The Passport Party Project aims to fix that and in a demographic close to my heart: young women.

Travel is some of the best education - it's powerful and can kill ignorance and racism. It opens your mind and more people need to do it. I think this is a wonderful initiative and I welcome any of those young ladies space to write a guest post here about their solo woman travels!
Happy Travels, Ladies!

Do It While They're Young!

Last year I wrote some tips on How To Enjoy Solo Travel With an Infant but this year I think the best title for an updated version would be How To Survive Solo Travel With a Toddler. If I can just say one thing, I say travel with your child while they're young. As young as possible! It is just sooooo much easier.

The drawback to travel with an infant is the sheer amount of STUFF they need - tons of diapers, numerous changes of clothes (maybe some extra clothes for you!), car seat, stroller, carrier, diaper bag, etc. However, they are light and easy to carry. They are comparatively quieter when they cry and they don't really move from wherever you set them down. Being small, they can also be put down to sleep on a plane seat or any chair really. Also, depending on the age, you don't even need to carry baby food for them.

There are, in my opinion, more drawbacks to travel with a toddler. One, they never stop moving! Two, they never stop moving. Three...you get the picture. That curious mind combined with tiny searching fingers and feet on the go and oh my! The fun never ends.

Now I'm not saying don't travel with your toddler. I think the more you do it and the calmer or more prepared you are for it, the better. I believe I am fortunate to have such a good trooper of a toddler. He doesn't really complain at all in planes, he just gets bored having to stay in such a limited space. In the end, you know your baby best and you both have limited patience. Don't try to do too much in one day. If you can break up a trip into smaller bits, it will probably be easier on you both.

One gadget that made my recent plane trip to Barbados much easier for toddler and me was the CARES harness. The harness requires you to purchase a separate seat for your child on a plane (or train) but it is so much safer for your child than sitting on your lap and in the end, more comfortable for both of you. It also allows you to go use the toilet by yourself and know that your toddler is well-secured and not able to get into trouble. My little guy sat in his seat watching cartoons (thank goodness for cartoons on planes!) as we landed and I didn't have to worry about him bouncing around in my lap.

Using the CARES harness means you don't have to lug around a car seat, so aside from a small stroller, I didn't carry anything bulky with me. However, if you know you will need your car seat at your destination, there are some ingenious ideas out there, from building your own rolling transporter, to straps that attach a car seat to a suitcase. Whatever your needs are, there are some creative solutions.

I also don't bother with commercial baby food; I find most airlines provide something a toddler will accept to eat.

On a positive note, travel time sure passes a whole lot faster when you're occupied making sure your kid doesn't touch or eat something they're not supposed to or harass other passengers!

So in that vein, I wish anyone attempting to travel with a toddler much patience and energy to run around after those little bundles of constant movement and don't forget to have fun. It all passes by so quickly :)

One-Day Walking Tour of Montreal's Old Port and ChinaTown

With a population of only four million, Montreal is by no means a huge city, but it is the largest in Quebec, Canada.

Its small size makes it a safe and easy city to navigate by foot. The subway system only has four lines that criss-cross the city and you can get from one end of the island to the other in less than an hour.

To really enjoy the city, don't waste money on taxis or even bother renting a car - Montreal drivers have their own rules for the road, and the endless one-way streets can frustrate even the most experienced drivers. Parking is also difficult and expensive. So grab a good pair of shoes, hope the weather is great and take a walk!

This one-day walking tour starts just outside Place-d'Armes metro station. Head west on St. Urbain street, towards Viger Avenue. If you walk a block over to St. Laurent, you should be able to see a large pagoda with two lion statues. This is the entrance to Montreal's Chinatown. If you are there on a weekday morning, it will be much less crowded. Sunday is the most popular day to go to Chinatown, but keep in mind, the crowds are never so large as to make navigation difficult. Chinatown is spread out over a few blocks between St. Urbain and St. Laurent and Viger and René-Levesque.

Take the time to browse in all the little shops along St. Laurent. Each shop has an interesting mix of food items, novelties, souvenirs, ornaments and dishes. In grocery stores, you'll find Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese foods and candies. Be adventurous and pick up something you've never tried before! This is also a great place to get fresh, cheap fruits in season. Buy a bunch to bring back to your hotel room or give to your host.

If you stroll along de la Gauchetière, you'll find more restaurants and delectable bakeries. Stop by the Dragon's beard stall - you can't miss it! Dragon's beard is a candy made with long strands of sugar (the "dragon's beard") and peanuts, coconut and sesame seeds inside. It's made fresh on the spot. You can also find Bubble tea - flavoured teas with giant balls of sweetened tapioca (the "bubbles") that you suck up with an extra large straw.

You can easily make a quick and cheap lunch out of the fresh sausage rolls or red bean balls of the bakeries, or sit down at one of the restaurants or buffets along the strip. The food is authentic and good - though service can sometimes be slow.

After that, head south down St. Laurent and head towards the Old Port (Vieux-Port) of Montreal. You'll have to walk uphill for this part and you'll pass by the Palais de Justice (courthouse). If you need to use the bathroom, you can hop in there, but there's nothing particularly special about the building. If you wander upstairs, you may be able to catch a glimpse of a wedding party, fresh from exchanging their vows.

Take a right on Notre-Dame and visit the Notre-Dame Basilica. It was modelled after Notre-Dame in Paris, but is much smaller. Still, it is worth the small entrance fee to take a look inside. You'll find a wonderful organ, beautiful stained glass windows and the back chapel where Céline Dion got married!

From there, head south on St. Sulpice street towards St. Paul street. St. Paul is the oldest street in Montreal and mostly cobblestone - which is why it's important to wear good shoes for this tour. Don't try walking in heels on cobblestone! You can browse through the shops on this street that is closed to traffic all summer, or stop in for some gelato or maple treats. There are tons of souvenir shops to be found here, if that's what you're looking for.

Go south one more block and walk back along de la Commune, which follows the St. Lawrence river. In the summer you'll see private yachts in the habour and giant freight ships. If you're peckish, try a quèue de castor (beaver tail). It's not a real animal part, don't worry! It's a sort of fried flat bread covered in sugar and cinnamon, or chocolate - whatever topping you wish!

When evening falls, make sure you are around the Place Jacques-Cartier area. Performers and artists come out at night and all the restaurant terraces are open. This will be a more expensive dinner, but take the time to check the menus posted outside and find something you really like. If you walk back up Place Jacques-Cartier, there's a beautiful fountain lit up at night. If you're in town for the summer International Fireworks Competition, the Old Port is a good place to watch them for free. Go down the steps behind the fountain at Place Jacques-Cartier and you'll be back at Place d'Armes metro, where you started your day.

Time to head home, rest your feet and recharge your camera battery for tomorrow!

Banish the Naysayers: How to Convince People You Can Travel Alone

You've bought the guide book, set aside the money and time and decided on your dream solo vacation, but when you share your dream with others, they tell you you're crazy.

It happens to men also, but women get a lot of flack for trying to run off on their own. A lot of negative comments are a result of ignorance and fear, so here are some tips to help work around that and get people supporting your dreams, not bashing them!

-"It's not you, it's me..."
A lot of the time, you'll get a negative reaction because the person giving it is quite simply jealous. They may have also dreamed of travelling alone, but never worked up the courage. They don't want you to have the fun they never got to, so they'll try to convince you not to go. You can tell these people apart from the others by the way they make excuses for themselves, "Oh well, *I* was going to travel to Indonesia alone after university, BUT I got this job and...."
You can simply ignore these people. There's no reason to waste time convincing them.

-Just the facts, ma'am
Every Tom, Dick and Harry has "heard from a friend of a friend" that someone went to the same place you're planning to go and died/got injured/kidnapped or what have you. Fact is, you can die crossing the street in your home town, so that shouldn't stop you from travelling! Nevertheless, brush up on your current affairs, travel advisories and history of the place before talking to people about it. If there has been any political unrest in the past few years, people will remember and remind you of it. It's important to know exactly what is happening when you plan to go, as well as the likelihood of future issues, so that you can counter these comments calmly and effectively.

-Where am I again?
One comment I heard from people when I spoke about solo travel was, "you might get lost." Yes, I might. Actually, knowing myself, a person who can get lost in a sweater on a sunny day, it's highly likely I'll get lost at least once per any given trip. Getting lost, however, is really not the end of the world! In fact, it can be tons of fun in a foreign city and lead to interesting sites and stops you didn't expect to see. Providing you're not lost in Antarctica or a desert, I don't see getting lost as being particularly life-threatening. Maps can be bought, a lot of cell phones have a built-in GPS and locals can usually give directions.

-But what if...?
Oh, the "what if?" people! They can go on forever and usually come up with completely ridiculous hypothetical situations that are so statistically outrageous, you just need to laugh. "But what if a stranger who has the Ebola virus jumps in front of you and starts bleeding all over you, while trying to poke you with a knife and steal your camera?" Ummmmm? That just sounds like a bad day.

-But you might get hurt
Along with the crazy hypothetical situations and concern for your navigational abilities are those who worry about the more mundane and real issues: you might get sick or hurt. Yes, you might get sick or hurt. You can also hurt yourself just walking from your kitchen to your bathroom or get sick on your way to work. That doesn't mean you shouldn't leave your house! Unfortunately, these things can happen anywhere, whether you're with someone or not. All you can do is tell people you are as prepared as you can possibly be - know local hospital or emergency numbers, have medical insurance coverage, carry a first aid kit - do all the obvious and reasonable things you can do within your control, but don't let the fear of the unknown stop you.

-Women as property
One comment my husband got when he mentioned to people I was taking off for a trip on my own was, "you let your wife go alone?!"
Tied into that comment was, "is everything ok in your relationship?"

Well, in my case, I didn't come with a property deed. It was never an issue of anyone "letting" me go. Though married, I'm still my own person, and I think most people in healthy relationships manage to keep a little of themselves to themselves. You need to work within the confines of your own relationship rules and do what makes you both happy. Sometimes some time alone is good for a relationship. If you trust each other, communicate and compromise, I don't see why one of you can't go off alone for a trip. Besides, they say "absence makes the heart grow fonder"! And if I don't mind saying, two of my pregnancies occurred right after getting back from a solo trip, so there's something to be said for a little time apart to freshen up a relationship!

Also, wanting or needing some time alone should not be seen as a threat to a relationship. In some cases, it can indicate problems, but I think it shouldn't be seen immediately as an issue. You have to love yourself and take care of yourself first if you want to be loved, so some time alone to nurture yourself should not be taken personally by your partner or cause fear in your partner if you have a good relationship.

Please don't let anyone hold you back from your dreams. Anyone who tries to is probably not the best match for you.


-People who love you will worry no matter what
Remember that the people who love you most will worry regardless of your location. I advocate coming up with a plan before you go on how and when you will contact key people during your trip to let them know you are still alive and well.

The key is to be secure in yourself about what you want to accomplish and be prepared to hit some brick walls along the way. Randy Pausch said, "brick walls are only there to make us prove how much we want something." If you really want to travel alone and know you'll get some negativity, do your research and work hard towards your goal. On the other hand, you might also be surprised to learn who your biggest supporters are and you won't know until you take the plunge. Happy solo travels!