Plenty of time to decide…
by xinit • 10/23/2007 • Halifax, travel, Vancouver • 1 Comment
The plan involves driving back to Vancouver in about 18 months, and the working theory is buy a used band van and drive. That’s 18 months for Tania to learn to drive, 18 months for me to abuse the company’s training subsidy, and 18 months to decide which direction to go…
Primarily that amount to should we go through Canada, or through the US when we eventually decide to leave the Maritimes. Going through the US has potential border issues if we have a van full of stuff… they’ll likely think that we’re trying to sneak in to stay or some craziness.
Canada Plan
US Plan
Pros & Cons for taking the US route
Pros;
- Weak US $ stretches gas funds
- Maine’s the land of Stephen King… I will try not to hit him with a van.
- New York City
- Viewing the remains of Route 66… photo ops
- More civilization in the middle of the country
- Oddly, fewer amber waves of grain in the US route
- Traveling further south means a spring trip is more possible without snow in the mountains or on the prairies
Cons;
- Border issues
- We’ll miss out on Saskatchewan… oh… wrong list…
- Longer route
- With the dog in the car, we’re not going to be stopping at The Getty or any of the aquariums
Now we need to start recruiting other victims who want to leave Halifax and share gas money. Might have to get a van and rent a trailer.
I would avoid the US route, it may be less interesting straight across Canada, but considering heightened border issues this days and the amount of harassment I would occasionally get as a US citizen crossing into my own country to fetch mail when I lived in Vancouver… you’re likely to have less headaches if you go cross-Canada. Why introduce an extra potential stress into an activity that’s already anxiety inducing?