I know that the border between the US and Canada has tightened considerably since 9/11. From personal experience, I can assure you that Canadian customs and immigration folks are not kind and friendly towards mileage runners.

I never make pure MRs... it is always a place that I would generally never get to otherwise, and I usually spend at least one night. Well, last week, I showed up at an Alberta airport... told the first agent I was just there as a tourist, one night... sent for secondary inspection where I was interrogated and searched for nearly two hours... laptop searched for child pornography etc. Finding none, the agent asked: "Do you have any pornography on here at all? I find it difficult to believe that you have nothing."

Essentially, they could not fathom why someone who said they did not know anyone, was not meeeting anyone etc. would come for just one night. I told them over and over that indeed that was the case... here is my return res #, car rental confirm, hotel confirm... a wallet full of platinum cradit cards etc.


Anyone else have any "fun" Canadian customs stories to tell?