Conference kaosws::canada

Travel route:

I-95 North to Bangor (4 hrs?)
9 East - The Airline - to Calais, ME/St Stephen, NB (1.5 hrs)
Route 2(?) across the south of NB to Moncton

From there we always turned south to NS, so I'm not sure what the
route is to the NB coast.

We did make one trip from Halifax up to the Gasp� and stopped somewhere
on the east coast of NB that has lots of signs for lobsters.  Maybe that's
the place?

I would guess around 8 hours travel time, depending on your speed and stopping
habits along the way.

All you need at the border is an honest face.  If they ask for documentation
it will probably be your drivers licence.  Customs officials can make your
life very difficult, if given cause too.  Depending on the weekend and traffic
load, they may search every nth car.  We've had our car searched once and
it was no big deal.  Just stand back and let them do their job.

While in Canada, make a list of everything you buy that you bring back.  This
will make coming back in easier if they ask you what you have bought.  We 
split the list into things for us and one for gifts, not that that would make
any difference.  I also seems that whenever we made a list, they never
asked for details either!

Generally customs is no big deal.  We made around 10-12 border crossings 
between 1985 and 1989, mostly with a rally car and trailer in tow so maybe
we caused more a stir than normal....

Bring US$ and exchange it at a major bank in Canada.

As noted here before, gas prices are much higher in Canada.  At the end of route
9 is an Irving station.  Fill up your car there before entering Canada.

Dave

    1.  Best route you've got ...  Out of Moncton you have essentially access
    	to all the routes to the coastline you are going to ...
    
    2.  These beaches have the warmest ocean swimming north of Florida on
    	the Atlantic coast ... the water temp. though really does depend
    	on the amount of sunshine warming the sand below, because the
    	waters are really quite shallow.
    
    3.	Jelly fish are *usually* not a problem.
    
    4.	US money *may* be accepted by many establishments at very variable
    	rates of exchange from excellent (incentive rates) to appalling.
    	For consistency, change your cash at a bank, or use credit cards,
    	or if you have automated teller cards on one of the major networks
    	like circuit, cirrus, or plus, you can actually draw cash
    	from your accounts at home.  Unlike the US all of our banks are
    	major banks ... there are only a handful of local banks, credit
    	unions (caisses populaires) ... and then there are trust companies
    	who operate a bank like business ... who are usually ok.
    
    5.	ID to get across the border now really should be birth certificate
    	or passport.  Other photo id *may* be accepted, but don't count on
    	it, and if you bring children, you should also bring their id too.
    	At one time a driver's license would suffice, but there has been
    	a movement towards using more authoritative id because a driver's
    	license does not necessarily prove you are US residents.
    
    6.	Sights ...
    		Reversing Falls at St John
    		The Flower Pot at Hopewell Cape (about 25 miles from
    							Moncton)
    		The Tidal Bore at Moncton (may be a disappointment ...
    			depends heavily on tidal conditions)
    		Magnetic Hill at Moncton (drive *down* a hill, release your
    			brakes put the car in neutral and ROLL back UP!)
    
    7.	Temperature in 70s to 80s ... may get a little humid
    	(Much like Mass really ... maybe a shade cooler)
    
    Have a nice vacation!
    
    Stuart
    

    Thanks for the information!  Also, the specific place we're staying in
    is Bectouche.  Is anyone familiar with it?
    
    Thanks again!

    From a CAA / AAA Tour Book ...
    
    Buctouche ...
    
    Population 3500
    
    In Kent County and home of the Kent County Museum
    
    About 1/2 hr from Rexton and the Bonar Law Historic Park ... birthplace
    of the only British Prime Minister born outside Britain.
    
    About 1 hour from Moncton and about 2 hours from Sackville ... both of
    which have anumber of historic sites and Moncton has a number of
    "amusement" type parks.
    
    Stuart

    Buctouche...
    
    Also near Shediac with its great beaches.
    
    Also the birthplace of K.C. Irving (of Irving petroleum products,
    newspapers, radio stations, etc.).

Buctouche is also near Kouchibouguac National Park, with its 15 miles of
uncommercialized beaches and dunes, salt marshes, canoeing, fishing, etc.

A historic site of interest near Sackville, at the Nova Scotia border and 
overlooking the Tantramar marshes, is Fort Beaus�jour, which fell to the 
British/New Englanders in 1755, I believe.  It has not been fully restored, 
but is well worth a visit if such things interest you.

-Stephen

    Buctouche - Shediac area is mostly bi-lingual.  My best experice in
    New Brunswick was in that area...the beaches are warm.  If you feel
    like checking out Prince Edward Island, Cap Tormentine ferry is a 
    short drive.  This would be good for a day or overnight trip.
    
    Also check out Fundy National Park along the Bay of Fundy (Alma) south
    of Moncton.  Closer to St. Stephen is Grand Manan Island.  This is
    for folks who have a desire for a complete "slow-down" of pace.
    
    rf
      
    

If you are into radios at all, don't forget to stop by the RCI (Radio Canada
International) antenna farm in Sackville.  It's right on the main route (only
route?) from NB into NS.  They have a free tour of the transmitter building.

Dave

    Thank you all for your replies!  We leave tomorrow and are DEFINITELY
    looking forward to the trip!!