Searched and non-contagious

Our first day is over and we are well-fed and on the way to understanding some of the ins and outs of being on a cruise.
The first two hours in Vancouver were spent in a variety of lines deep in the bowels of the cruise ship centre. The atmosphere was much different from what we’ve experienced in airports but the intention was the same. Keep the borders safe! The staff was very friendly and even made jokes and we didn’t have to remove our shoes but the checks were there none-the-less.

Our first line was for security – a zig-zagging line where we had a 30-minute opportunity to look over our fellow passengers. People were generally jolly and tolerant of the wait. It appeared that many had flown in from all parts of the U.S. to join the cruise. Bill had the only Tilley hat on in a crowd of hundreds. The security guard said he looked like he was going fishing! The majority of men had baseball hats on although there were a few Stetsons sticking out here and there. It appeared that most had decided to start their diet after their cruise…. It still felt like we were herded like cattle – the difference in this experience is that we were all happy cows!

After the security line, we were moved around the corner into another zigzag line for customs where our passports were finally scanned and we were shuffled off to the next line – this time for our health! We had to fill out forms regarding recent stomach ailments, coughs, body aches and fevers and sign our assurances that we felt 100% and ready to travel! We were handed sheets outlining proper procedures to be sure we don’t bring H1N1 back with us on our return. One important reminder is to avoid contact with swine for 7 days after your fever and cough start…
Finally we were sent to the gangway but were stopped in one last line for pictures! By this time, Bill was snarling a bit at the photographer so we may not be buying that one!