I can only imagine how badly backed up the border-crossing will be during that time. What about reserving a rental car in YVR, then using the ferry to get from SEA to YVR.

Congrats on getting the flights switched over, sdm1130. ^

Are rentals allowed to be driven to Canadia?

Yes. I have flown to SEA and driven to YVR on numerous occasions. The border crossing at Blaine is usually terribly backed-up (especially on the return into the U.S.). I can only imagine how bad it would be during The Olympics.

FYI, the Hyatt is in the car exclussion zone so you won't be allowed to bring a car into the city. Keep in mind a lot of the Olympics will be at Whistle and Richmond which is were YVR is located. I hope you got tickets from USOC as that's the only source for US residents.

A quick stop (and required purchase) in the duty free shop right at the border is a nice way of cutting to the front of the line. I felt very guilty but, upon exiting the duty free parking lot, the guard motioned for me to enter the line at the front.

Yes (depending upon rental company) but my idea was fly into SEA and Amtrak to YVR (an entirely new experience for me). ;)

I'd prefer something close to a window, so we are in 12A and 13A right now. Perhaps something in the main cabin will open up in the next week.

Thanks! :D

Those will be fine for the minicabin.

Something in this home theater system that my mother picked up (not new, but in very good shape and severely discounted) is causing the audio to just up and cut out. I thought it was self-protection at first...I put Top Gun in the DVD player and cranked it up, only to have the audio shut down and not come back in response to loud engine noise at the beginning of the flick. Repeated that several more times deliberately to test the theory....crank it too high, something cuts out. OK, fine...theory established.

Then I decided, since I had loaded it in the disc carousel, to watch the 2003 Devils Stanley Cup retrospective. Found a volume that the system liked, and it's playing just fine. Then for no volume-based reason at all, the sound cuts again. :rolleyes:

The Mom picked up a $300 home theater in a box unit for $50...it's certainly worth putting some money into a repair...but my question is why it's malfunctioning in the first place. She trusts the personal source that sold it to her, so who knows.

I've done this MANY times with Avis in the northeast. THey have no problems with it. At the border, they'll usually want to see your rental paperwork to prove that the person on the contract is in the vehicle (so you didn't steal it).

Very glad to see IAH-Dallas back down to a reasonable price.

I have always driven my own car into Canadia. I know Messico is a different matter altogether and probably wouldn't drive my car there.

Is there a lot of heat coming off the receiver? I had to outfit my Onkyo system with a 120mm fan to force some cool air flow. I can feel the heat come out of the front of my cabinet if it has been working hard on an action movie or concert DVD. It is possible that some of the components are going into thermal shutdown so the amplifier attenuates itself so it doesn't melt.

"My system from Onk - kee - yo"

Great - now I'll have Deep Purple in my head all day.

Just doing what I can with what I got. :D