I recently discovered you can cross the border into the U.S. without passports and with booze and fruit in the car.

But to avoid this, don害羞草研究所檛 shut off your GPS if you haven害羞草研究所檛 driven through Osoyoos in 30 years.

My wife and I were on our way back to the Island from the Okanagan and I wanted to take Highway 3 instead of the Coquihalla. We saw the sign in Osoyoos to go east to Castlegar, but nothing pointing west, so I kept driving straight. A short time later we encountered a sign saying we害羞草研究所檙e entering the U.S. and we didn害羞草研究所檛 see a U-turn. I said, 害羞草研究所淣o big deal. The guys at the border will help us out when we tell them what happened.害羞草研究所�

Moments later, a U.S. customs agent recites a script of questions he seemed incapable of deviating from.

害羞草研究所凄别蝉迟颈苍补迟颈辞苍?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎ctually we害羞草研究所檙e trying to turn around back into Canada, we missed our turn to Vancouver.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淧补蝉蝉辫辞谤迟蝉?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淣o, we weren害羞草研究所檛 intending to cross the border.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所泪顿?害羞草研究所�

I hand over our driver害羞草研究所檚 licences.

害羞草研究所淰补肠肠颈苍补迟颈辞苍蝉?害羞草研究所�

I hand him our little green cards with the QR codes.

害羞草研究所淒o you have any liquor in the car?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淵es. We害羞草研究所檙e not supposed to be here.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淔谤耻颈迟?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所渊别蝉.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎ny cannabis, weapons in the car?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淣辞.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淩oll down your back window for me.害羞草研究所� (Glances inside. Sees cooler, but apparently no cannabis or weapons.)

害羞草研究所淒id you stop at the duty-free store?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲hat? No. We害羞草研究所檙e not supposed to be here.害羞草研究所�

The Osoyoos border crossing that day 害羞草研究所� maybe most days 害羞草研究所� seemed devoid of human life except for us and border security people, at least three of whom jumped on their computers to do background checks on us. Minutes later, Agent Strange, according to his name patch, asks, 害羞草研究所淪o, when was the last time you intentionally crossed the border?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所�2019.害羞草研究所�

It was the answer he was looking for, I guess, because he handed back our licences and said, 害羞草研究所淗ey, Chris, you were born in Los Angeles and you害羞草研究所檙e all vaccinated. You know you害羞草研究所檙e welcome to come and go anytime, right?害羞草研究所�

Strange said pre-pandemic they害羞草研究所檇 get at least one car an hour that missed the turn and ended up at the border. We said, there害羞草研究所檚 no sign. We害羞草研究所檇 have to talk to the Canadians about that, he said, and handed us a yellow slip to give to the CBSA people next door 害羞草研究所� the Canadian and U.S. border services in Osoyoos share the same building with a wall between them 害羞草研究所� and said to get back into Canada we害羞草研究所檒l likely have to set up the ArriveCan app and that害羞草研究所檒l probably be more hassle than dealing with him.

We made a U-turn and explained our situation to a CBSA agent who asked us much the same questions his American counterpart had, handed us instructions on how to set up the ArriveCan app, had us pull into a parking stall to set up the app, and told us to go inside the office if we need help. About 90 seconds later, we went inside for help.

I did make a comment to a young CBSA officer filling out forms to get us back into Canada that this could be an episode on the Border Security TV series. He kind of grimaced and said, 害羞草研究所淭his just isn害羞草研究所檛 that interesting.害羞草研究所�

(Well, maybe it害羞草研究所檚 just part of the background noise to you, buddy, but you害羞草研究所檙e not standing on this side of the counter.)

Nobody confiscated our liquor or fruit and we arrived at Tsawwassen in time for our ferry to Duke Point.

Two days later my wife received a call from 害羞草研究所楾oll Free Serv.害羞草研究所� Because we害羞草研究所檇 visited the U.S., she害羞草研究所檇 been selected for random COVID testing.

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