WEBVTT 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:03.779 Planning to cross the border with your RV? Get 00:00:03.779 --> 00:00:06.719 ready for an epic adventure with tips on preparing 00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:09.800 for international travel, must -see destinations 00:00:09.800 --> 00:00:13.320 in Canada and Mexico, and navigating rough roads 00:00:13.320 --> 00:00:16.359 like the Alaskan -Canadian Highway. Plus the 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:19.519 latest RV news and RV pro tip you don't want 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:22.420 to miss. Stay tuned. Welcome to the Restless 00:00:22.420 --> 00:00:26.320 Nomads, the ultimate RV show for modern day rubber 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:29.339 tramps and weekend warriors alike. Whether you're 00:00:29.339 --> 00:00:32.219 chasing sunsets full time, savoring seasonal 00:00:32.219 --> 00:00:34.659 escapes, or just hitting the road for a quick 00:00:34.659 --> 00:00:37.679 weekend getaway, this is your go -to show for 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:40.600 tips, tricks, and tales from the road. Join us 00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:43.659 as we dive into everything RV. Choosing the right 00:00:43.659 --> 00:00:46.640 rig, surviving life on wheels, and navigating 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:49.960 the highs and lows of life on the moon. Toables 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:53.119 to motor homes, budget hacks to campsite secrets. 00:00:53.460 --> 00:00:56.880 We've got you covered, so buckle up nomads, and 00:00:56.880 --> 00:00:59.920 let's hit the road to adventure, one mile at 00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:06.120 a time. Well, welcome back this week's episode 00:01:06.120 --> 00:01:09.420 of the Restless Nomads. It's Mike with you. Check 00:01:09.420 --> 00:01:13.099 us out on therestlessnomads .com. That's our 00:01:13.099 --> 00:01:15.640 travel blog. You'll find all of our episodes 00:01:15.640 --> 00:01:18.900 posted there as well as some useful information 00:01:18.900 --> 00:01:22.459 for all you RVers out there and see Angie and 00:01:22.459 --> 00:01:26.420 I's latest adventure. Alright, so the RV news 00:01:26.420 --> 00:01:31.079 update. There's a new RV border crossing apps, 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:34.239 actually a couple of them. a new wave of smartphone 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:37.260 apps aimed to help RVers plan border crossings 00:01:37.260 --> 00:01:40.739 with real -time updates on wait times, border 00:01:40.739 --> 00:01:44.459 policies, and even a document checklist. Two 00:01:44.459 --> 00:01:47.659 apps that come to mind, CrossCheck and RoadBound 00:01:47.659 --> 00:01:50.719 could make border hops a little less stressful. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:54.379 Also, Canada is upgrading campsites to accommodate 00:01:54.379 --> 00:01:57.500 larger rigs. Canada Parks has announced plans 00:01:57.500 --> 00:02:00.459 to expand more sites to fit larger RVs and fifth 00:02:00.459 --> 00:02:03.359 wheels, especially in popular spots like Banff 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:06.280 and Jasper. The upgrades will also include more 00:02:06.280 --> 00:02:09.819 electrical hookups and better Wi -Fi. The Alaska 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:13.300 ferry system is lowering their prices for RV 00:02:13.300 --> 00:02:16.500 transport with travel demand rising. The ferry 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:19.280 system is offering special discounts for RVers 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:22.599 who book round -trip transport. Now if you book 00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:25.080 a job up there, if you happen to score a job 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:28.620 in Alaska, many times that company will reimburse 00:02:28.620 --> 00:02:32.340 you so long as you stay for the duration of the 00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:35.500 season. If you quit and leave early, that will 00:02:35.500 --> 00:02:40.189 be on you. All right, let's dive right into it. 00:02:40.189 --> 00:02:44.490 So today's show is all about international RVing. 00:02:44.870 --> 00:02:47.129 You know, many of us travel around the United 00:02:47.129 --> 00:02:48.949 States and there's a lot to see in the United 00:02:48.949 --> 00:02:52.389 States. You could probably spend 10 or more years 00:02:52.389 --> 00:02:55.849 traveling from state to state and you still wouldn't 00:02:55.849 --> 00:02:58.930 see everything. But it can be pretty exciting 00:02:58.930 --> 00:03:02.569 to broaden your horizons a little bit more and 00:03:02.569 --> 00:03:06.710 cross the borders into Canada and Mexico. You 00:03:06.710 --> 00:03:08.789 know, there's a lot to see in those places, too. 00:03:08.810 --> 00:03:11.710 For example, in Mexico, especially during the 00:03:11.710 --> 00:03:14.129 wintertime, it's a great way to enjoy some sunshine 00:03:14.129 --> 00:03:17.610 and adventure simultaneously. Baja California 00:03:17.610 --> 00:03:20.610 offers beautiful beaches, vibrant culture, and 00:03:20.610 --> 00:03:23.710 some awesome boondocking spots right on the beach. 00:03:24.310 --> 00:03:26.930 Also Copper Canyon down in Mexico is a little 00:03:26.930 --> 00:03:30.090 lesser known, Jim, and that's actually deeper 00:03:30.090 --> 00:03:33.210 than the Grand Canyon. The Yucatan Peninsula 00:03:33.210 --> 00:03:37.250 has a rich history, lots of museums and beautiful 00:03:37.250 --> 00:03:40.210 coastlines, as well as ancient ruins to check 00:03:40.210 --> 00:03:43.349 out. Up in Canada, Banff and Jasper National 00:03:43.349 --> 00:03:48.210 Parks are unparalleled in beauty with glacial 00:03:48.210 --> 00:03:51.870 lakes and rugged peaks. Also, Icefields Parkway 00:03:51.870 --> 00:03:54.569 is one of the most scenic drives in the world. 00:03:54.949 --> 00:03:57.650 And Prince Edward Island? has some coastal charm 00:03:57.650 --> 00:04:02.689 and iconic red sand beaches. So lots to see. 00:04:02.810 --> 00:04:06.810 It is on our bucket list. Angie and I definitely 00:04:06.810 --> 00:04:11.330 want to cross over into Canada and camp in Canada. 00:04:11.729 --> 00:04:14.270 And we'd also like to go down into Mexico. One 00:04:14.270 --> 00:04:16.629 thing that we have thought about is going to 00:04:16.629 --> 00:04:20.170 southern Arizona and camping on this side of 00:04:20.170 --> 00:04:22.610 the border and then crossing over just with a 00:04:22.610 --> 00:04:25.910 truck into Mexico, at least for the first time. 00:04:26.009 --> 00:04:29.089 that would be a relatively easy thing to do and 00:04:29.089 --> 00:04:31.209 we could go explore some of the border towns 00:04:31.209 --> 00:04:34.269 there. So important things to think about when 00:04:34.269 --> 00:04:36.930 you cross any border, whether you're in an RV 00:04:36.930 --> 00:04:40.170 or not, is your passports. You need to make sure 00:04:40.170 --> 00:04:45.069 that you are current on those and they need to 00:04:45.069 --> 00:04:48.509 be valid for at least six months beyond your 00:04:48.509 --> 00:04:51.970 planned stay. So if you have a passport that's 00:04:51.970 --> 00:04:54.250 getting ready to expire, they expire once every 00:04:54.250 --> 00:04:57.209 10 years, You need to get yourself down to the 00:04:57.209 --> 00:05:00.029 post office and get that renewed. If you're applying 00:05:00.029 --> 00:05:02.829 for a passport for the first time, you'll go 00:05:02.829 --> 00:05:04.389 through your post office and you'll fill out 00:05:04.389 --> 00:05:07.170 an application and get this. This is the crazy 00:05:07.170 --> 00:05:10.269 thing. If you haven't done a passport in a while, 00:05:10.290 --> 00:05:12.750 or maybe it's your first passport, when you go 00:05:12.750 --> 00:05:14.790 to the post office with your appointment, you 00:05:14.790 --> 00:05:18.430 have to set up an appointment online to submit 00:05:18.430 --> 00:05:21.870 your application. and they don't take copies 00:05:21.870 --> 00:05:24.670 of your original documents like your birth certificate 00:05:24.670 --> 00:05:28.529 and your driver's license. They take the actual 00:05:28.529 --> 00:05:33.189 copies or the real thing and they send those 00:05:33.189 --> 00:05:36.610 off in the mail to the Passport Processing Center. 00:05:37.149 --> 00:05:42.449 So that means that if you have any reason to 00:05:42.449 --> 00:05:45.790 use those documents like a new job or something 00:05:45.790 --> 00:05:48.660 like that, You need to plan around that because 00:05:48.660 --> 00:05:51.000 you're going to be without your birth certificate 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:54.579 and without your driver's license even for a 00:05:54.579 --> 00:05:56.939 little bit. And I thought that was absolutely 00:05:56.939 --> 00:06:00.019 insane. You would think that the person behind 00:06:00.019 --> 00:06:02.699 the counter could say, yes, I verified that this 00:06:02.699 --> 00:06:05.639 is real. Take a photocopy and send it off. But 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:08.819 that is not the case. They take your real documents 00:06:08.819 --> 00:06:12.680 and you are just without them. until you get 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:15.600 them back in the mail six to eight weeks later. 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:19.319 So plan for at least two months of not having 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:21.939 your documents. And I know I was sweating it 00:06:21.939 --> 00:06:24.339 when we did it a couple of years ago when we 00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:27.240 got our passports because I was afraid that they 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:29.779 would lose our documents in the mail and they're 00:06:29.779 --> 00:06:34.720 sending everything. You know, all the proof that 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:38.160 you're an American goes in the mail and can be 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:40.160 a little bit nerve wracking. I think they should 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:43.910 work on that. And make that system a little bit 00:06:43.910 --> 00:06:46.490 better. I just there's too many things that can 00:06:46.490 --> 00:06:49.790 go wrong with that Also, if you're crossing the 00:06:49.790 --> 00:06:53.110 borders with a vehicle like an RV You need to 00:06:53.110 --> 00:06:55.430 make sure you have your vehicle registration 00:06:55.430 --> 00:06:58.970 current and also have your proof of insurance 00:06:58.970 --> 00:07:03.230 Now when you get into that country In Canada 00:07:03.230 --> 00:07:06.129 and Mexico, this isn't so much of an issue. They'll 00:07:06.129 --> 00:07:08.790 take your American registration generally But 00:07:08.790 --> 00:07:11.589 if you were to ship your vehicle overseas to 00:07:11.589 --> 00:07:14.129 a different country that is not bordered with 00:07:14.129 --> 00:07:17.189 us, they may require you to register that vehicle 00:07:17.189 --> 00:07:20.170 in that country. Just keep that in mind. And 00:07:20.170 --> 00:07:22.470 then you also want to check your travel visa 00:07:22.470 --> 00:07:25.689 requirements. You know, each country has their 00:07:25.689 --> 00:07:27.970 own rules about how long you can stay there. 00:07:28.189 --> 00:07:30.689 And many times they will ask you why you're there. 00:07:31.069 --> 00:07:32.990 Of course, if you're in an RV, you're likely 00:07:32.990 --> 00:07:36.060 there. for vacation purposes, holiday purposes, 00:07:36.060 --> 00:07:38.420 but maybe you have a job in that country and 00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:42.040 you may even need to apply for a work visa. Another 00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:44.620 thing to consider when you're traveling to another 00:07:44.620 --> 00:07:49.300 country, and this is true of RVs as well as just 00:07:49.300 --> 00:07:52.399 going to another country in general, is you need 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:55.740 to know how long you can drive on your United 00:07:55.740 --> 00:07:59.279 States driver's license without having to apply 00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:03.279 for and get a driver's license in that country. 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:07.579 I think if I remember correctly when we went 00:08:07.579 --> 00:08:10.800 over to Europe, I think it was like two weeks 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:13.920 or something. So you could fly to Europe and 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:16.639 rent a car and drive around legally on your United 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:20.100 States license. But if you were going to be there 00:08:20.100 --> 00:08:24.720 for more than two weeks consecutively, I think 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:29.850 you actually had to get a European or a UK driver's 00:08:29.850 --> 00:08:32.389 license, if I'm not mistaken. So, important to 00:08:32.389 --> 00:08:37.190 research that and have a plan. Also, when you're 00:08:37.190 --> 00:08:40.470 traveling abroad, whether in your RV or anywhere 00:08:40.470 --> 00:08:43.210 really, you need to make sure that you are covered 00:08:43.210 --> 00:08:46.490 with your medical insurance because there are 00:08:46.490 --> 00:08:49.710 some medical insurances that if you get hurt 00:08:49.710 --> 00:08:53.309 and you are not in the United States, you will 00:08:53.309 --> 00:08:56.620 not be covered. So, think about that. Another 00:08:56.620 --> 00:08:59.940 important thing is to make sure that your cell 00:08:59.940 --> 00:09:03.059 phone plan is up to date and it's going to allow 00:09:03.059 --> 00:09:06.960 you to make calls and access data internationally 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:11.179 Most of the cell phone plans the the regular 00:09:11.179 --> 00:09:14.220 ones here in the United States Will cover Canada 00:09:14.220 --> 00:09:16.480 and Mexico if you're traveling over to Europe, 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:19.679 then you need to research that and you could 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:23.860 I know when we went to Europe we had to purchase 00:09:23.860 --> 00:09:29.100 data and time, phone time, in order to be able 00:09:29.100 --> 00:09:33.840 to use those cell towers in Europe. And if you're 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:38.440 going to be venturing down into Mexico or up 00:09:38.440 --> 00:09:42.299 way north into Canada where there are fewer cell 00:09:42.299 --> 00:09:45.059 towers, pretty much anywhere in the world where 00:09:45.059 --> 00:09:47.139 there are fewer cell towers and there's more 00:09:47.139 --> 00:09:50.100 distance between the cell towers, It's a good 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:54.860 idea to download those offline maps on your GPS. 00:09:55.379 --> 00:09:57.879 Most people use their phones these days, but 00:09:57.879 --> 00:10:01.120 get on it right now and download those maps ahead 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:04.179 of time. That way, when you are smack dab in 00:10:04.179 --> 00:10:06.639 the middle of two cell towers and they're 200 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:11.940 miles apart, you can still navigate. You know, 00:10:11.960 --> 00:10:15.179 if you don't want to purchase data, which I think 00:10:15.179 --> 00:10:18.299 it's kind of. requirement for travelers these 00:10:18.299 --> 00:10:21.320 days. It sure makes life a lot easier, but you 00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:25.659 can always rely on your Wi -Fi hotspots and make 00:10:25.659 --> 00:10:28.860 sure that if you are bringing along your own 00:10:28.860 --> 00:10:33.159 Wi -Fi hotspot, like Starlink is good pretty 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:34.980 much around the world, although they do have 00:10:34.980 --> 00:10:37.000 some nuanced requirements for that, so check 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:40.159 in with that and ensure that you will have connectivity 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:43.080 wherever you're going. Also, if you have like 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:47.039 a Verizon Cube or AT &T hotspot, you want to 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:51.220 make sure that you will be able to use that in 00:10:51.220 --> 00:10:54.620 the country that you're going to or have a plan 00:10:54.620 --> 00:10:59.539 to be able to access the Internet without it. 00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:03.899 So crossing the border when you're driving, some 00:11:03.899 --> 00:11:07.759 important things to remember what you can't bring. 00:11:08.440 --> 00:11:10.620 Good idea to leave the firearms and the ammo 00:11:10.620 --> 00:11:15.299 at home. especially, especially when you're crossing 00:11:15.299 --> 00:11:18.600 international borders into Canada and into Mexico, 00:11:19.320 --> 00:11:22.399 that is 100 % of the time gonna be a no -go. 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:26.860 No firearms, no ammo. Now, you have to consider 00:11:26.860 --> 00:11:30.779 this for crossing state lines too. I know with 00:11:30.779 --> 00:11:33.700 it, you know, if you have an Oregon concealed 00:11:33.700 --> 00:11:37.639 carry permit and you're carrying concealed in 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:41.259 Oregon, And then like here in Klamath Falls, 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:44.179 we are not far from the Oregon, so the Oregon 00:11:44.179 --> 00:11:46.519 California border. So if we cross into California, 00:11:46.899 --> 00:11:48.299 that's something that we have to think about. 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:51.320 We've got to pull over before we cross into California 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:54.659 and make sure that we get California legal. So 00:11:54.659 --> 00:11:57.360 putting the glove in a locked glove box or the 00:11:57.360 --> 00:11:59.299 gun in a locked glove box and putting the ammo 00:11:59.299 --> 00:12:03.080 in the trunk or something like that. Just like 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:07.139 we can't bring fresh fruit into California, fresh 00:12:07.139 --> 00:12:12.570 produce and meats are often confiscated at international 00:12:12.570 --> 00:12:17.070 borders Mexico and Canada. So good idea to go 00:12:17.070 --> 00:12:20.889 ahead and at your last campsite before you cross 00:12:20.889 --> 00:12:25.269 into Canada or Mexico have a big dinner and eat 00:12:25.269 --> 00:12:27.809 all of that and as soon as you get over into 00:12:27.809 --> 00:12:30.370 the country you're going to you can stock up 00:12:30.370 --> 00:12:34.710 once again and be good to go. Another thing if 00:12:34.710 --> 00:12:39.460 you are a tobacco user or an alcohol user You 00:12:39.460 --> 00:12:42.720 need to know the limits or just avoid it altogether 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:47.120 and do not bring those items into the bordering 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:49.779 country because that's going to get into duties 00:12:49.779 --> 00:12:54.139 and everything else. So important things to think 00:12:54.139 --> 00:12:57.779 about. Now, when you get to the border, they 00:12:57.779 --> 00:13:01.720 very likely will ask you for your documents and 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:03.799 they'll ask you, do you have any firearms? Do 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:05.679 you have any produce or meats? Do you have any 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:10.269 alcohol or tobacco? The easiest way to get through 00:13:10.269 --> 00:13:12.409 is they just ask the questions you say no and 00:13:12.409 --> 00:13:15.129 they let you through but they are totally within 00:13:15.129 --> 00:13:20.029 their rights to board your RV and Go through 00:13:20.029 --> 00:13:23.049 everything to make sure that you're telling the 00:13:23.049 --> 00:13:27.350 truth. So keep that in mind. It's possible that 00:13:27.350 --> 00:13:30.710 you may be Pulled out of line and searched and 00:13:30.710 --> 00:13:32.690 so you want to be on the up -and -up because 00:13:32.690 --> 00:13:36.059 you don't want to have to turn around that can 00:13:36.059 --> 00:13:39.419 be a major issue, especially if you have reservations 00:13:39.419 --> 00:13:43.779 in that country starting that night, right? So 00:13:43.779 --> 00:13:47.639 it will certainly throw a wrench in your travel 00:13:47.639 --> 00:13:51.659 plans and you want to avoid it. Okay, well after 00:13:51.659 --> 00:13:56.700 the break, we'll get into some other international 00:13:56.700 --> 00:14:00.519 interesting stuff. We'll talk about the Alcan. 00:14:00.899 --> 00:14:05.169 We'll talk about Shipping your RV if you're wanting 00:14:05.169 --> 00:14:08.090 to go to different countries that you cannot 00:14:08.090 --> 00:14:11.750 drive into. And much more right here on the Restless 00:14:11.750 --> 00:14:15.990 Nomads RV radio show on Gold Country Radio. We'll 00:14:15.990 --> 00:14:32.799 be right back. Your message reaches a broad local 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:35.100 audience while also targeting listeners who choose 00:14:35.100 --> 00:14:38.000 to tune in to the shows they love. Plus, we promote 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:40.360 your sponsorship across our website and social 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:43.100 media. For more information, email goldcountryradio 00:14:43.100 --> 00:14:49.279 at gmail .com. Call 541 -238 -6989 or visit goldcountryradio 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:52.419 .org. Gold Country Radio, your message heard 00:14:52.419 --> 00:14:55.759 locally and beyond. You're listening to the Restless 00:14:55.759 --> 00:15:00.620 Nomads RV radio show on Gold Country Radio and 00:15:00.620 --> 00:15:03.759 heard around the world with a broadcast to podcast 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:07.759 campaign. Check out the origin of this broadcast. 00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:13.299 It's on Gold Country Radio originally live and 00:15:13.299 --> 00:15:16.440 you can check us out at Gold Country Radio at 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:21.179 I'm sorry, goldcountryradio .org to see other 00:15:21.179 --> 00:15:24.620 community shows like Make It Out Alive, also 00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:28.419 The Life Outdoors, Hunting Southern Oregon, Terrible 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:31.159 at Fishing, Fishing Tips and Tricks, lots of 00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:33.860 community shows that may be of interest if you 00:15:33.860 --> 00:15:37.200 are enjoying the Restless Nomads RV radio show. 00:15:38.539 --> 00:15:43.580 Okay, let's get into one of the main reasons 00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:48.659 that people may cross a border, especially the 00:15:48.659 --> 00:15:50.340 Canadian border. If you're going to cross the 00:15:50.340 --> 00:15:53.340 Canadian border, most people are heading up there 00:15:53.340 --> 00:15:57.480 to hit the Alcan en route to Alaska. And the 00:15:57.480 --> 00:16:01.120 Alcan is one of the biggest bucket list journeys 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:05.740 for adventurous RVers, but it has its unique 00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:09.440 challenges. Some things to think about. The Alcan 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:13.460 is historically known for its really rough roads. 00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:18.509 So just be prepared. for thousands of miles of 00:16:18.509 --> 00:16:22.129 potholes, frost heaves, gravel sections, you 00:16:22.129 --> 00:16:25.590 need to be planning for weather. There's a sweet 00:16:25.590 --> 00:16:27.850 spot, you know, because they do maintenance on 00:16:27.850 --> 00:16:32.850 the road. There's kind of a sweet spot when the 00:16:32.850 --> 00:16:36.789 road construction is almost done before the winter 00:16:36.789 --> 00:16:40.490 season, essentially. So August, September might 00:16:40.490 --> 00:16:42.549 be a good time to head up there. But you also 00:16:42.549 --> 00:16:45.279 need to think about Getting back and you don't 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:47.519 want to be caught in the weather and not be able 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:51.620 to get back on the Alcan Fuel and supplies are 00:16:51.620 --> 00:16:55.179 really really limited on the Alcan and you have 00:16:55.179 --> 00:16:58.799 to think about that Gas stations can be up to 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:03.240 100 miles apart So you do not want to be riding 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:05.680 around with a quarter tank and that's all the 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:10.099 fuel that you have Most people that do the Alcan 00:17:10.099 --> 00:17:13.779 actually take cans of fuel with them Just in 00:17:13.779 --> 00:17:17.079 reserve for emergencies. They take plenty of 00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:20.579 water with them Just in case your vehicle overheats 00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:23.180 or you end up breaking down and you need to drink 00:17:23.180 --> 00:17:28.000 that water Take some food take all of those emergency 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:33.759 supplies really important to Have some extra 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:37.079 security because you are venturing into no man's 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:40.559 land in some pretty remote areas. Of course, 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:42.079 if you're going to be traveling on the Alcan 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:46.160 through Canada up to Alaska, traveling with others 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:48.619 is always a good idea, just like hiking. You 00:17:48.619 --> 00:17:50.519 don't want to hike alone, and if you're going 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:54.019 to be taking on the risk of traveling the Alcan, 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:56.420 one of the things that many people do is they 00:17:56.420 --> 00:18:00.920 caravan, which is just going with other RVers, 00:18:01.140 --> 00:18:03.220 and that way you'll have support if you break 00:18:03.220 --> 00:18:06.240 down. It's a whole lot safer. you know if your 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:08.859 vehicle breaks down worst case scenario you can 00:18:08.859 --> 00:18:11.339 leave it and jump in somebody else's and get 00:18:11.339 --> 00:18:15.539 to safety because let's face it out there in 00:18:15.539 --> 00:18:19.779 no man's land there's a lot of wildlife and there's 00:18:19.779 --> 00:18:22.259 a lot of exposure to the elements and some bad 00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:24.940 things can happen out there so it's a good idea 00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:30.039 to travel with friends. Now if you're not brave 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:35.190 enough to entertain taking the Alcan But you 00:18:35.190 --> 00:18:38.509 want to go up to Alaska. Now, I'm not. Let me 00:18:38.509 --> 00:18:43.349 say this. The Alcan has beautiful scenery driving 00:18:43.349 --> 00:18:47.289 through Canada. It's all about the journey, not 00:18:47.289 --> 00:18:49.789 so much the destination of Alaska, although Alaska 00:18:49.789 --> 00:18:52.490 is wonderful. But if you have to be in Alaska 00:18:52.490 --> 00:18:55.869 for a job or something and you want to avoid 00:18:55.869 --> 00:19:00.210 the risk of going on the Alcan, you can have 00:19:00.210 --> 00:19:06.359 your RV ferried to Alaska. And like we said in 00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:10.599 the beginning with the news, they do have some 00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:14.400 special discounts for RVers now. And if you are 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:16.900 going up there for a job, many times the deal 00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:20.480 is that the company that hired you will pay for 00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:23.480 your shipping cost so long as you honor your 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:26.539 contract and work the entire season. So keep 00:19:26.539 --> 00:19:28.900 that in mind. If something doesn't work out, 00:19:29.180 --> 00:19:30.960 you decide to leave early, you're going to be 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:34.690 on the hook for that shipping. But the Alaska 00:19:34.690 --> 00:19:37.430 Marine Highway system is a great way to bypass 00:19:37.430 --> 00:19:40.349 all those rough roads. Generally, the ferries 00:19:40.349 --> 00:19:42.710 will charge you by the length, so the longer 00:19:42.710 --> 00:19:46.130 your RV, the more that you are going to pay. 00:19:46.769 --> 00:19:48.950 And you want to make sure that you measure your 00:19:48.950 --> 00:19:52.390 rig accurately so that you're not paying unnecessarily. 00:19:52.470 --> 00:19:55.269 If you have a 26 -foot trailer and you tell them 00:19:55.269 --> 00:19:57.609 it's a 30 -foot trailer, you will be paying... 00:19:58.730 --> 00:20:01.269 unnecessarily for footage that you don't have. 00:20:01.710 --> 00:20:04.410 That's where a little Class B camper van might 00:20:04.410 --> 00:20:09.369 be a lot better in that scenario. Now one thing 00:20:09.369 --> 00:20:11.529 that I've heard about these ferry trips, I have 00:20:11.529 --> 00:20:14.569 not done it, Angie and I have not put an RV on 00:20:14.569 --> 00:20:17.789 the ferry, but keep this in mind too, you're 00:20:17.789 --> 00:20:21.150 going to put your RV on the ferry and you will 00:20:21.150 --> 00:20:25.670 likely not be able to use it. For the duration 00:20:25.670 --> 00:20:28.069 of the ferry ride, so it's not like you're going 00:20:28.069 --> 00:20:30.849 to be sleeping in your RV They don't allow that 00:20:30.849 --> 00:20:34.470 you'll have to either rent a cabin or rough it 00:20:34.470 --> 00:20:38.130 and sleep in the coach section on the ferry You 00:20:38.130 --> 00:20:41.329 know in the seats, but there's some liability 00:20:41.329 --> 00:20:45.289 issues, and they do not allow you to Use your 00:20:45.289 --> 00:20:48.529 RV especially cook on it and that kind of thing 00:20:48.529 --> 00:20:53.190 I've also heard this if you have pets They do 00:20:53.190 --> 00:20:57.890 stay in the RV and I believe that there is like 00:20:57.890 --> 00:21:00.410 twice a day. It's something kind of unreasonable. 00:21:01.490 --> 00:21:04.589 You have to keep them in your RV and you're only 00:21:04.589 --> 00:21:06.809 allowed to go down there twice a day to let them 00:21:06.809 --> 00:21:09.349 out for 15 minutes at a time or something like 00:21:09.349 --> 00:21:13.430 that. So it's rough, man. If you've got pets, 00:21:13.430 --> 00:21:16.470 it might not be a good option at all. I don't 00:21:16.470 --> 00:21:18.750 think I would feel comfortable leaving our dogs 00:21:18.750 --> 00:21:25.029 in the RV for you know, 23 and a half hours a 00:21:25.029 --> 00:21:30.650 day that seems excessive to me. Maybe other people 00:21:30.650 --> 00:21:33.690 are of differing opinions. And, you know, these 00:21:33.690 --> 00:21:35.630 are things that I've heard in conversation. So 00:21:35.630 --> 00:21:38.190 it's important to do your due diligence and research 00:21:38.190 --> 00:21:41.730 this. But I know that was one of the red flags. 00:21:42.170 --> 00:21:45.130 And one of the reasons I said, yeah, we probably 00:21:45.130 --> 00:21:48.730 would never do that, because you have to book 00:21:48.730 --> 00:21:51.339 that cabin if you want to sleep in a bed. You're 00:21:51.339 --> 00:21:54.099 not allowed to sleep in the RV and the pet issue. 00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:59.039 So let's talk a little bit about overseas shipping. 00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:04.420 If you are heading somewhere other than Alaska 00:22:04.420 --> 00:22:09.500 or, you know, a bordering country that you can 00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:12.839 just drive right into, you may be tempted to 00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:16.200 ship your RV, whether that be to Europe or Australia 00:22:16.200 --> 00:22:18.539 or something like that. And there are some things 00:22:18.539 --> 00:22:22.059 to consider. when you're going to do that. First 00:22:22.059 --> 00:22:26.220 of all, it can be really expensive. So you have 00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:29.200 to balance these things out. You gotta make sure 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:31.279 your registration and your insurance is going 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:36.079 to be good wherever you're going. Also, make 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:38.680 sure that your insurance is going to cover the 00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:42.160 unit while it's being shipped because that might 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:45.099 require a whole different policy. So it's important 00:22:45.099 --> 00:22:48.359 to check with your insurance provider and ask 00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:52.109 them, hey, Will my comprehensive and full coverage 00:22:52.109 --> 00:22:55.329 cover the RV while it's in transit to some other 00:22:55.329 --> 00:22:58.190 country? And then we talked about the driver's 00:22:58.190 --> 00:23:01.490 license thing. You know, most countries will 00:23:01.490 --> 00:23:05.210 allow you to drive on a United States driver's 00:23:05.210 --> 00:23:08.390 license for a limited amount of time before they 00:23:08.390 --> 00:23:12.230 expect you to get their country's driver's license. 00:23:14.069 --> 00:23:17.960 Now shipping rates can vary. So you got to do 00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:19.599 your homework. You know, where are you going? 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:21.880 If you're shipping your RV to Australia, it's 00:23:21.880 --> 00:23:24.420 likely to be more expensive than if you're shipping 00:23:24.420 --> 00:23:27.140 your RV to Hawaii. Now, why you would ship an 00:23:27.140 --> 00:23:29.299 RV to Hawaii unless it's like a little class 00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:33.000 B camper van? I'm not exactly sure. Hawaii roads 00:23:33.000 --> 00:23:36.099 aren't really built for big rigs. That's for 00:23:36.099 --> 00:23:39.470 sure. Another option that you might entertain 00:23:39.470 --> 00:23:42.250 if you want to avoid some of the high freight 00:23:42.250 --> 00:23:45.170 costs of shipping your RV and all the headaches 00:23:45.170 --> 00:23:48.549 that come with it is just flying to that country 00:23:48.549 --> 00:23:54.589 or even taking like a off -season cruise, a repositioning 00:23:54.589 --> 00:23:56.930 cruise they call it to that country and then 00:23:56.930 --> 00:24:00.650 once you get there rent an RV and that is hugely 00:24:00.650 --> 00:24:04.589 popular. People from Europe and Asia And Australia 00:24:04.589 --> 00:24:06.809 oftentimes come to the United States and rent 00:24:06.809 --> 00:24:09.710 a camper van or an RV and they tour the United 00:24:09.710 --> 00:24:13.930 States. The same is true for us Americans as 00:24:13.930 --> 00:24:19.779 we go abroad. There is the option to rent camper 00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:25.220 vans and RVs and tour those countries I know 00:24:25.220 --> 00:24:27.779 one of the bucket list items for Angie and I 00:24:27.779 --> 00:24:31.680 is to go over to the northern UK Scotland Ireland 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:34.859 North England and rent a camper van there and 00:24:34.859 --> 00:24:37.099 just go see all the things that we haven't seen 00:24:37.099 --> 00:24:42.059 because we've been to South England quite a bit 00:24:42.059 --> 00:24:45.420 but have not ventured very far north and we really 00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:49.500 would love to see Scotland, we both have never 00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:52.759 been there and be able to explore Ireland a little 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:55.319 more than just stopping off at the Shannon Airport. 00:24:56.140 --> 00:24:59.839 So over there in Europe, and this will be true 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:01.980 in many countries, you kind of need to do your 00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:06.900 research and you will likely be influenced to 00:25:06.900 --> 00:25:11.880 rent a smaller RV than you would here in the 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:17.599 US of A with our great huge wide roads. So drivability 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:21.480 is going to be exaggerated in your considerations 00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:24.599 in other countries because oftentimes those roads 00:25:24.599 --> 00:25:29.200 will be narrower and it's just something to think 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:31.200 about, you know, so maybe trade a little living 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:35.000 space for a little less stressful travel days. 00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:39.359 Also, Australia and New Zealand have great rental 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:41.839 markets with plenty of established campgrounds. 00:25:41.930 --> 00:25:45.809 Now over in Europe, campground fees are really 00:25:45.809 --> 00:25:50.049 high compared to the United States. They have 00:25:50.049 --> 00:25:54.849 plenty of campgrounds, but looking ahead at that 00:25:54.849 --> 00:25:58.630 and planning for some higher camping costs is 00:25:58.630 --> 00:26:01.309 important in Europe because they do not have 00:26:01.309 --> 00:26:04.730 nearly the amount of free camping that we do 00:26:04.730 --> 00:26:07.960 here in the United States. Another consideration 00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:11.099 when you're thinking about renting or even shipping 00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:16.220 your RV and RVing abroad is that driving rules 00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:19.920 are going to be completely different. So even 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:23.180 learning how to drive a Honda Civic in the United 00:26:23.180 --> 00:26:24.940 Kingdom where you're driving on the wrong side 00:26:24.940 --> 00:26:29.579 of the road is going to be stressful. Now add 00:26:29.579 --> 00:26:35.240 a big rig to that and you've just amplified that 00:26:35.240 --> 00:26:39.819 stress. So think about that. Maybe it's a good 00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:44.799 idea to go over once, stay in hotels or at a 00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:47.539 resort or something like that, rent a car, and 00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:50.559 at least learn the rules of the road in a little 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:56.140 European matchbox car before you try to drive 00:26:56.140 --> 00:27:01.279 a big rig. You know cities and towns are not 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:05.539 designed for big rigs in Europe and and many 00:27:05.539 --> 00:27:08.299 places across the world so some things to think 00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:11.599 about and maybe even opt for that smaller camper 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:14.839 van rather than a toad rig or something like 00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:17.480 that. So before hitting the road internationally 00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:20.599 make sure that your cell phone plan covers data 00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:24.339 wherever you're going remember that and also 00:27:24.339 --> 00:27:29.160 any SIM cards that you need to purchase in order 00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:33.880 to be able to use your cell phone and your Wi 00:27:33.880 --> 00:27:37.859 -Fi hotspots. Those are important for staying 00:27:37.859 --> 00:27:43.079 connected and being able to navigate and also 00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:47.160 book campgrounds and the like. Well, guys, I 00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:50.900 hope I shed some light on some considerations 00:27:50.900 --> 00:27:55.180 that you might take while you're planning an 00:27:55.180 --> 00:27:59.079 RV trip abroad. It can be a lot of fun. Now, 00:27:59.619 --> 00:28:02.680 it's not always the most affordable option. You 00:28:02.680 --> 00:28:06.559 know, it's likely one of the ones that you will 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:09.099 be able to see things that most tourists would 00:28:09.099 --> 00:28:13.460 not. So that's pretty cool being able to kind 00:28:13.460 --> 00:28:16.859 of get ingrained in the local culture and maybe 00:28:16.859 --> 00:28:21.519 spend a little bit more time in places for a 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:24.269 little bit cheaper. And it's the same concept 00:28:24.269 --> 00:28:27.930 as RVing in the United States, the longer you 00:28:27.930 --> 00:28:31.210 stay somewhere in an RV the more cost -effective 00:28:31.210 --> 00:28:35.910 it becomes when compared to hotel stays and resort 00:28:35.910 --> 00:28:40.069 stays and so forth. I think the cruise thing 00:28:40.069 --> 00:28:44.710 has it beat by a long shot as far as the economy 00:28:44.710 --> 00:28:51.150 of it all. It's hard to beat the budget economy, 00:28:51.150 --> 00:28:54.569 you know, night or cost per night of a cruise. 00:28:54.970 --> 00:28:58.369 But when you take a cruise, you likely will be 00:28:58.369 --> 00:29:01.029 kind of relegated to seeing only those coastal 00:29:01.029 --> 00:29:04.029 areas. So it's important to think about that. 00:29:04.430 --> 00:29:06.710 Don't forget to visit thewrestlesnomads .com 00:29:06.710 --> 00:29:10.109 for more episodes. Check out our blogs there. 00:29:10.609 --> 00:29:14.809 Our most recent exciting adventures. We are getting 00:29:14.809 --> 00:29:21.079 ready to go up to Crescent Lake. Uh on may 14th, 00:29:21.079 --> 00:29:23.599 we'll begin our job up there at crescent lake 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:25.980 here in oregon and if all goes to plan and the 00:29:25.980 --> 00:29:28.740 snow clears out It's going to be really exciting 00:29:28.740 --> 00:29:31.960 to host that and i'm super excited because that's 00:29:31.960 --> 00:29:34.500 an hour and a half away from clement falls So 00:29:34.500 --> 00:29:37.240 we'll drive the trailer up there i'll turn right 00:29:37.240 --> 00:29:40.160 back around come home and pick up our boat And 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:43.259 we'll have our boat all summer long right there 00:29:43.259 --> 00:29:47.640 at crescent lake for some awesome fishing. We've 00:29:47.640 --> 00:29:50.640 been watching our fishing videos and also listening 00:29:50.640 --> 00:29:52.880 to Terrible at Fishing with Michael Ruffino on 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:56.380 Friday nights, making sure that we can get spun 00:29:56.380 --> 00:29:59.559 up and we know what we're doing before we start 00:29:59.559 --> 00:30:02.359 casting our lines in the water. Well until next 00:30:02.359 --> 00:30:04.359 time y 'all, safe travels and happy camping. 00:30:04.920 --> 00:30:06.519 You've been listening to the Restless Nomads 00:30:06.519 --> 00:30:09.599 RV radio show on Gold Country Radio. We'll see 00:30:09.599 --> 00:30:11.180 you next week. This is Mike.