We made it! from Ushuaia, picture below, to the artic circle, picture above. crossing from the south to north pole of the world.picture below taken on 25 december 2008. distance stated to alaska might be flying distance.
at a local native american festival.
In Washinton.
Writing from North Pole of Alaska, sending a postcard back to Singapore.
Washing up Hope Too after coming back from the Artic Circle.
Samantha got a new friend in facebook.
you can write to Santa at the address, really!
Hope Too, as usual, being a dirty baffolo.
The night in Coldfoot, alaska. we wanted to see the northern Aurora lights but...
we reached North Pole!
That's what coldfoot is about.
coldfoot camping.
timer from the camera is too fast.
Canada.
The scottoiler broke! it jammed my chain and i nearly skidded.
at last we get to use the bbq grill from the swiss team. Now i got the skill to cook rice from firewood. the left pot is brown sauce for the meat, the middle pot is for hot water, the right pot is rice.
Vancouver.
We were lucky enough to be adopted by Don. Sue on his left and Ashley on his right. We felt very comfortable staying with them but we have to go. Thank you Don!
Glazier again...
we have to be bear-safe here.
and we are lucky to spot a bear.
the CAD$15.00 camping. we were provided with a bench and table and a site with small gravels. free running water by the stream and free trees to view. free toilet that has no flushing system that once i open up the cover i could see the waste 1.2meters below. must wash hands using our own water. we are free to bring in electricity and water without additional charges. free trashbin 20meters away. free bugs that flying around our ears and face.Thanks 54victor and thanks MJ. I don't think these publication helps. Headache. what gave me more headache is explained below. its a letter to the canada border agency, regarding the CAD$1000 fine. i have not submitted it. will go back to canada to hand it over.
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
110-300 Main Street
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 2B5
Canada
C/c
High Commission of the Republic of Singapore – Canada
Mr Koh Yong Guan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tanglin Singapore 248163 Email: yong_guan.koh@cpf.gov.sg
Dear Sir/Madam,
Request for Review or for an Appeal for seizure number 8081-09-0021
Firstly, I would like to compliment about the ample amount of road signage in Canada to warn all road users about the slightest debris that will endanger road users.
I am a tourist and a writer, travelling with my Singapore registered motorcycle, FQ3515B in Canada with my wife. I am promoting motorcycling tourism in Canada. We entered Canada on September 7th 2009 at Douglas Immigration, near Vancouver.
On September 11th 2009, at about 4pm, I rode along highway 37A towards Stewart, British Columbia, Canada, looking for a good campsite in Stewart. Not being satisfied with the campsite condition in Stewart, I rode further along the road that leads to Hyder. I rode into Hyder and only saw abandoned buildings and within 5 minutes in Hyder, I only saw 2 people in the town. Knowing that Hyder might be a less populated town with limited services, I decided to go back to camp at Stewart, using the same road where I came from.
On the way back, I noticed that there was a building, I slowed down 50 meters away to observe the building at the speed of 10-20km/hr. There wasn’t any one manning the building, there wasn’t any barrier or gate, so I decided to continue my journey to Stewart.
When I reached Stewart, a police patrol vehicle stopped me and I was asked to go back to the way I came from, as instructed by the police officer. I obeyed every instruction from the police officer without questioning or struggle.
It was the building where I had passed thro few minutes ago and there stands 3 officers standing on the road with their arms crossed. I answerer all their questions and handed them our passports, motorcycle registration document from Singapore and later the bike keys. Custom officer 14365 informed me that they have to seize my motorcycle because I had ‘run the border’. She also informed me that I had to pay CAD$1000 in order to get my motorcycle back. Then she further explained the reason why she seized my motorcycle because of the CAD$1000 fine I had to pay for ‘running the border’ and they could not sent the fine ticket to my house in Singapore, the only way is to seize the motorcycle and that will make sure I would pay the CAD$1000.
picture 1
I explained to them that I did not realised it was an international boundary where I had entered Hyder, USA, as there wasn’t any signage of leaving Canada or entering USA, there wasn’t any custom and immigration at Hyder, USA side and all these terrain had forced me to assume that Hyder was part of Canada. (refer to picture 1 attached) When I rode near to the building, I slowed down and observed but nobody was at the building or any barrier. (refer to picture 2 attached) I also explained further that we are not trying to import anything into Canada illegally.
Picture 2
Officer 14365 said she could not do anything but had to execute the duty of seizing my motorcycle but she said I could explain the case to her superior, officer 10985.
I explained the same to officer 10985 but he does not seem to understand my point. He said that I had committed an offence of not stopping at the stop sign which I had rode thro. The fine of CAD$1000 is for not stopping at the stop sign, it would be the same as committing a traffic offence where I had to pay the fine before retrieving my motorcycle back.
I begged him for leniency for this matter and he said
I could charge you CAD$2000 now because it was 2 persons, now I am lenient to you and only charge you for CAD$1000.
Without speaking further, he left the office at about 430pm and I have to pay for the fine in order to continue my journey with the motorcycle. My wife paid the fine with an AMEX credit card and we had the documents and key back.
When I was issued with the Seizure receipt (Number 471290), the allegation stated on the receipt was:
That the said conveyance was used to transport persons into Canada in contravention of the Customs Act.
I strongly believed that the CBSA has misunderstood the facts or has applied the law incorrectly and I would like to seek for an appeal on this case as it was all caused by misunderstanding and the lack of communication.
Our journey will continue to USA, Australia, East Timor, Indonesia and Malaysia before reaching Singapore on May 2010. We could be reached via email at a faster speed of replying to any questions arise.
I hope to seek your justice on this case.
Yours sincerely,
Goh Mia Chun
what the F?! us running the border. these people are the same in the whole world. their ego is bigger than the whole universe. i didn't stop... they arrested me, went back to them, and all they want to feel is me begging to them and after that giving me a heavy punishment.
ego...
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