It was an ordinary day.....until...

It is always nice to start a trip with a new experience....usually! We got away in good time, just after the lunch hour, all vehicles packed and on our way.

We arrived at the bridge and border crossing in on time and were surprised to find that the lineups weren't too long. Often times when we arrive, there is an agent directing traffic into specific lanes, but not today, there weren't enough cars to warrant it. Often times we don't all go through the same wicket so we congregate just past the border on the large shoulder to wait for the rest of the caravan - which we have jokingly named the silver bullet brigade as all vehicles (except Sue's) is silver.

Sue goes through first, Tom pulls up behind a few minutes later and then we wait......and wait......and wait.....finally Bob pulls in about 15 minutes later.....only to tell us that Ruth & Jason and Joanne & Gavin have been asked to vacate the vehicle and hand over their passports....there was papers they had to sign - meanwhile, the sniffing dogs are desperate to get under the car.

Now I have to also say that the vans we have are brand new...two had less than 70kms on them and the other only a few hundred.

So we waited......and waited......an hour and a half later Ruth had been cleared and told by the Custom's agent "Welcome to America" and sent on their way. Upon their return to the van, it was evident that Fido and his master had taken a good look - here is the paw print to prove it and as I write this, Ruth is wiping the dog snot from the outside of her suitcase.

Then it was time to stop to have a washroom break which we usually do just over the Wellsley Island bridge in the park rest area. The parking lot was quite full with people doing the same thing. Lo and behold, who is in the parking lot? but the group from Pakenham Pastoral Charge who were heading to Syracuse to board the train for their Habitat Trip to Mississippi. They too were waiting for someone from their group to get through the border. We wished them well and continued on our journey.

As you know, this is our first year doing the 15 hour drive in 2 days which so far, everyone has thought was a good idea. This is very similar as to how we do the return journey and gives everyone a chance to rest.

Tomorrow will be a long day filled with various word association games, billboard reading and discussing, movie watching, karaoke and getting to know one another. Another mission trip has begun!