Time at Birch Bay, WA.

Wednesday we awoke to heavy rain, typical as its moving day. Mark and Chris were still up at Cultus Lake, so we arranged to meet them at 10am on the slip way at junction 109 on Hwy 1. We were there just a short time when I saw them approaching, and managed to get onto the freeway just ahead of them. Perfect. We had an uneventful drive to the Peace Arch border crossing, and had a wait of about 30 minutes or so. The actual crossing was a breeze. It was the easiest, stress free and quickest we have ever done, when travelling from Canada into the States. We didn't even get out of the motor home. BUT, we had just one problem. As we were driving into Blaine, minutes from the border, Jane says "I can't see where he stamped our passports" Sure enough, no stamps in the passports. We pulled over to the side of the road, to await Mark and Chris, and discuss what we were to do without a stamp. The last stamp says we must leave the US by January 7 th 2010, from when we first crossed into Alaska from Yukon. We waited about 20 minutes, still no sign of M and C. We decide we will carry on to the campground, just 4 miles according to Tom Tom, and then if we don't hear from them drive back in the car and see whats happened. We send them a text to that effect. After we checked in at Birch Bay TT, and unhooked the car, we drove to our site, and as I was backing in, PP drove through the gates. It transpired that "Scar Face Jones" reared his ugly head again as he had his passport scanned, and they were ordered into the office for further screening. Mark even heard one of the guards say, "Yea, that's him" Needless to it wasn't him, and after short while they were free to go.
After setting up, we decide we need to get groceries etc. We also decide we need to sort our passports out sooner rather than later. M and C go off in the direction of Bellingham, and Costco, we go into Blaine and try and return to the border crossing, without having to go back into Canada. Found that to be impossible, so go to the Police station and get a phone number for them. Jane speaks to a crossing guard there, who tells us we don't have a problem, that when January 7 th is nearer, go to a border crossing and ask them to give you an extension, there shouldn't be any problem with that. Hmmm. Well, we decide that's what we will do. Whats the worse that can happen, sling us in Jail????
That sort of sorted, we drive to Bellingham, and Wal-Mart, text M and C, and arrange to meet in the car park of Costco. All shopping chores done, we drive back to Birch bay. Dinner at M and C's
and then the boys give the girls another lesson in Canasta.
Poor Chris then tells us she has decided she must fly to Nova Scotia, for a family problem. She has her ticket booked and will leave from Abbottsford airport Friday morning. We hope that everything turns out well, and that she is back with us soon.

Friday the rain is back with us, but we decide to take a trip to Lindel, a Dutch inspired town about 10 miles from here. There is an antique and craft fare on that Jane wants to go to, so the three of us decide, despite the weather to go. Quite a neat little town, though it too seems to be suffering economically, with numerous stores not only closed, but empty.

The colours are out of this world up here at the moment.

The Bay, at Birch Bay

Lindel. A small Dutch town.

All the shop's had a manikin outside for Halloween.