It's about time you learned.So I said okay; helps that there's a giant mall just a few blocks away. So I asked my girlfriend, Lola, if she wanted to come along with me. She said 'Sure!' so off we went. Poor Lola had never been to Buffalo before but she had a great time. There was a lot of construction happening at the entrace to the airport, so that slowed us down a bit, but we managed to get through it.
We, well really me, did some serious spending of the bucks and when it was time to come home, I was quite concerned about crossing the border back to the Great White North and what the border guard people would say when they learned I had spent 8 times (conservatively speaking) the limit for the day...I was told today that the limit is $50 if you've been to the US for the day, $200 if you've been there for 3 nights and like $750 if you've been over longer. So we're at the border and of course I picked the slowest line. I didn't want to change lanes because I'm sure somewhere there are border guard people watching and picking out guilty looking vehicles that keep changing lanes. So we stuck it out. I was really quite nervous when the car in front of me had to go over to the customs office. Oh, and it was pouring rain by this time too.
I smiled at the border guard guy and he asked what citizenship we were - Great White North, where is home - 2 hours down the road, how long we had been in the US - about 5 hours...what can I say, I'm a power-shopper, why we were over - had to take Father-in-Law to the airport...and stopped by a mall on the way back, what did we buy - clothes, basically just clothes, how much we spent - swallow, about $a lot...smile, in total for everybody? - swallow, smile, no Sir, just me, swallow, smile, how much did Lola spend? - not nearly as much as me, Sir, any alcohol or tobacco - no Sir, go on through. Whew! I.could.not.believe.it.
Then...wait until you read this comedy of errors...we saw a Tim Horton's and stopped. It had been a whole 5 hours without one so of course we had to stop. Plus they had a bathroom. Except we stopped at the Tim's that's part of the Duty Free Shop. Who knew Great White Northians aren't supposed to stop there! Not me, that's for sure. They could have at least posted signs saying, The only exit leads you straight back to Start. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200 Oh, sorry, that's something else. Not seeing an exit, we asked the Tim Horton's people how to get the road we wanted...they said we had to go back to the US. I enjoy my time in the US but I was feeling like I had just pulled off a major bank heist and if I had to go back across the border, I wouldn't be so lucky and would have to pay duty and GST (good-old suck-em-dry tax). Well, they looked to be all of 12 years old and in the corner of the building was a travel place. A travel place would know how to get us out of the parking lot and on the right road. We went and asked them. Apparently the only way out is back to the Peace Bridge and to the US. BUT we could do a U-e and cross back through the border guard guys, pay the toll again and be on our way. We just looked at them dumbfounded. And that's the way they have to go home too. Silliest thing I ever heard of. They should just post signs No Great White Northians Allowed - You Can Get In But You Can't Get Out. Now what. One lady gave me a map and drew arrows on it and told me the way to go. She said,
Just show this to the border guard guy and tell him you've already been through. It happens a lot.Okay, we'll try that...feeling a little skeptical about it though. They guy working with her gave me a token for the toll booth. She gave him a dirty look.
So we hop back into the shop-mobile, head back out to the Peace Bridge, made the U-e at the appropriate place, got back into line at the border, pretended to be a really ditzy person holding up my map and giggling saying 'We made a wrong turn - saw Tim Horton's and just had to stop!' I hate it when people think I'm ditzy... He smiled, asked where we needed to go, spoke slowly so we would understand, and told us the correct road to take. I knew what road to take the whole time, it was that Stupid Duty Free Shop with the Tim Horton's that threw me off!
We arrived home safe and sound. Husband was happy that I didn't spend anymore money than I did...driving wasn't bad at all...Husband said to me
I told you you could do it; if Mr. Toad can do it, you can too.Mr. Toad is the epitomy of country-folk and drives.the.speed.limit. But that's a post for another time.
No comments:
Post a Comment