Edmonton Air Port
Edmonton Air Port
In my travelogue I mentioned about US Canada border. But I just visit boarder and returned. I was excited to visit US as It is most Power full nation in world. Security is so tight to enter US, as so many time we read in newspaper Shahrukh Khan, how he waited for hours at airport. For ticket booking I search on net and found Alaska Airline had flight from Edmonton to Seattle, after checking fare Calendar and come to know in October fare are lowest and I booked my return ticket for last week of October.
It was Saturday morning and flight time was 8am on October 26/2012. I started my journey from home to Edmonton Airport. It took around 40 minutes and I parked my car at airport parking lot. Here parking charge for half an hour is $2.5, for full day $13 then weekly $65 and monthly $185. I checked in already at home: i.e. log on to Airline website and fill information about address, age, passport number and a Boarding pass can be print. Passenger can enter to boarding area otherwise at Airport someone from airline fill this information and gave boarding pass.
I entered departure lounge and saw airline counter is empty, I decided talk with lady to confirm everything right. I gave my boarding pass which I printed out at home; she smiled and asked for my passport. She swiped my passport in slot and written gate number 86 on my boarding pass and handed over me custom form with passport and boarding pass. I started toward gate. Now there was checking counters. One officer waved his hand and I proceed towards him. I handed over my passport and boarding pass to him. He asked form. I gave this form to him, he smiled and returned form, gave me a pen and asked to fill it out. I was surprised this form should be filled out and present at destination airport but here it was reverse. I come back and filled it. This was my first journey to US and I had written everything on paper already. Visiting to Seattle, State Washington, (there is also a city named Washington DC in USA which has no concern with State Washington), Postal code etc.
This time again other officer waved his hand and I proceed towards him. Gave him form, passport and boarding pass. He asked question why, where I am going? I replied just for four days will visit there. He asked for laptop or other device. I showed him camera and told I have only this one. Within minutes he allowed me to go. Then I tried to return pen but he said I have to return it to same officer from where I got it. I did and proceeded to Security checking counter. Lady gave me a tray I put all my metal belonging and shoes in it. I passed through security gate and it was ok. Here is trick if someone has ornament or metal objects with him then this security gate weep a sound. Security personal start checking with hands, one time Indian former Defence Minister went through this process. It is recommended all metal object, belt buckle, keys, coins and ornaments etc. should be place in tray then this tray come through XRAY checking. In my case everything was fine and I was free to board in plane.
Edmonton Air Port
Departure Lounge was good so many shops and chairs. I just strolled around and at 7.30 people started line up. Normally economy class passengers allowed in last with their seating area. This was a small plane, Air Hostess offered drinks two times and little packet of snacks were provided and it was all free. In domestic flights normally Airline charged for food items, However it is less than two hours flight but it consider International flight and Airline offered food items free.
Aeroplane inside
After two hours plane was landed at Seattle. As I come out there was rain. It was first time that I was standing on ground and seeing plane. I entered Arrival hall and surprised no checking there. It was done already at Edmonton airport. It was easy as a Canadian otherwise people have hard time to enter in USA. Metro train, local buses are available to go to city, but my host was there and took me home.
Seattle Airport Arrival Outside Road
Seattle has a sea shore. Cruise ships proceed from there. It has islands and ferry left every half an hour. Lots of population resides on islands. Seattle is famous for Boeing factory. Microsoft has head office in Seattle, Bill Gate and other staffs sits there. Total population is less than seven lakh. Green lake park popular among runners, contains a 4.3km trail circling the lake. We were there. Local white people greet us with smiles and waving hands. We also visited to Indian Restaurant, Food was so spicy, but sweet gulab jamun and kheer was there. Mexican cook was working there. Mexico is also famous for spicy food . In Canada food is normally not spicy.
Seattle Sea Shore
Merry go round at Seattle Sea Shore
Weather was windy. There was big merry go round. Some people walking there. On roads there was traffic but not much hustle and bustle. I miss my India as lots of kids, young couple are present every tourist places there.
Down town Seattle
I visited local Gurudwara Sahib. Listen Gurubani and blessing with langar. Some devotees practice Marshall arts there. On my four days stay there was always rain. Stores are same in Canada and USA. I had not stayed in Hotel. Just sit in car and drove around city. Roads and cars look same and nothing special.
Gurudwara Sahib at Seattle
Art Piece at Seatlle airport
On Tuesday October 31 after noon I started my return journey. Within minutes on airport got my boarding pass. Cheek in was quick, officer asked how was journey. Some decorative objects may be belongs to modern arts displaying at Airport. Lot of Duty free shops there. Food court was good. One shop for massage, but I not tried anything. Return journey was less than 2 hours. This time I filled my immigration Form in Plane and put it in my front Pocket. “I don’t go looking for trouble. Trouble usually finds me.”-Harry Potter. When I was standing in front of Immigration Officer and handed over form. As she unfold it, it was in two pieces, Due to sweating this form got wet in my pocket. But she was white lady, just smiled and filled another form by herself. I was thinking may be on gate someone will check my baggage. But Custom officer at gate asked my check in Luggage and I replied I have only this bag and he greet me and I was in Arrival lounge. It was very pleasent journey and custom officers were so cooperative with me. Now I realized that I have to do some homework before go to any airport and know about formalities. As on Indian Airport you need tags dully stamped by custom officer on every piece of Luggage. It is not required on other airports.
Around 5pm I was driving my car towards home. Everything looked normal, as I assumed when officer slide passport every information pop up on screen. If we have good record then no problem but if someone has link with underworld or bad guys then it showed on screen, Officer Start detailed enquiry. It can be for hours and may be refusal to entry in USA.
Departure Lounge at Seatlle airport
Departure Lounge at Seatlle airport
In my next post I will write about big cities airport i.e. Toronto, Frankfurt and IGI New Delhi and Big Jumbo Jet which fly between two continents. On Ghumakkar we have hotel review will visit some of them in India . Between Feb 10 to14 like to know if someone visiting Varanasi or Maha Kumbh.
Har Har Mahadev
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Edit kaise karte hai please mujhe bhi bataiye…
brilliant post… someday you should do this journey by car also sharma ji
I can do it. Like you with me. We can go there and cruise for Alaska.
Thanks
Nice post Surinder on beautiful Seattle.
It’s also heartening to know the behaviour of airport staff. You must be felt good.
Hope your stay here will be very good…have a nice journey and will look forward to read more from you…by the way, is this your first post in English (in this site).
Take care,
Thanks Amitava for your kind words. I have one more post in english and it is just introdction about Edmonotn city. You can clik on my name and find it.
Hello Surinder ji,
Felt good after reading your post.
I have heard that there are train as well from Canada to US. Infact read this in one of the Ghumakkar post only. I think from Toronto to Newyork. Do not have good knowledge about Canada geography, so I think Edmonton is very far from Toronto.
I really want to travel in Toronto – Newyork train, also wanted to see custom procedure they follow in train.
Thanks for sharing your experience
Hi Abhee,
In Canada rail line is in every province. But mostly goods train plying on it. Toronto to Newyork there is trains. But it take more time then Car. Vancouver to Seattle has also popular rail link. But within Canada Train journey is used by very few people.
For Toronto you can fly via Europe and it has sea shore Atlantic Ocean. Vancouver and Seattle has sea shore Pacific Ocean. You can fly there throug Asian counteries. It is Bejing, Hongkong, Singapore, Seol. Mine this blog and Hyder, a secret place near the end both descrbing near Pacific Ocean. Edmonton Alberta to Toronto Ontario flying time near 3 hours and 45 min. Ghumakkar is good site. May be in few months you will Global Expert and suggest someone about travelling.
Thanks and Regards,
Thank you Surinder ji for this info.
I should now tell you why I am so curious about Toronto as we are moving to Toronto (Dates not yet decided) but visa got stamped.So collecting maximum information.
Hi Surinderji,
Nice to know that boarding process was so smooth both ways. Entering that country, after all, is not so painful an experience as we have come to believe (thanks to, as you mentioned, much publicised Shahrukh Khan/ our ministers experience, etc). We all know this great game of propaganda/gimmickry going on in the name of security.
Is it that Mexican cooks were preparing the Indian food ? I have heard that Mexican food has lots of similarities with our cuisine.
Thanks for interesting post,
Auro.
Hi Auro,
It is showing if you honest and obey law you are welcome everywhere. Shahrukh and US knows what it is on profile and whenever he visit there it should be same procedure.
In US lot of people from Mexico are in work force. That was Indian Hotel and food so spicy for me and I don’t think main stream American can visit there.
Thanks a lot for your comment.
Dear Surinderji, thanks for the airport reviews of Edmonton and Seattle. Surprised to know that the US immigration formalities took place in Canada itself. Since you are a Canadian citizen, things are easy for you. I doubt if Indian passport holders will enjoy the same ease of passage. Wish you pleasant ghumakkari during your next visit to India.
Hi DL,
US immigration formalities describe here are only at Edmonton airport. I have no idea rest of Canada. For Indian passport visa needed, and if someone has visa then same procedure. Thanks a lot for your best wishes.
Regards
Dear Surinder Ji
Very nice post and elaborate account of your experience at USA and Canada. I love Seattle and I love the drive from Seattle to Vancouver. That is a one of the most scenic driver on this earth. Second thing great in Seattle is Mount Baker visit.
Hi Praveen,
Most scenic drive Seattle to Vancouver nice to know, but if you add few hours more journey towards Rocky it is amazing. Banff and Jasper very popular among tourists. Hope you will visit there soon, and I have AMA ( The Alberta Motor Association) membership if any time car break down AMA will provide road side assistance.
Thanks and regards
Surinder Ji
I have done that journey from in Golden, Jasper, Banff, Calgery and Glacier park area. It is utterly beautiful.
Excellent writeup post and picture are too good & very clear.
Thanks for Virtual Tour…..to Edmonton to Seattle USA.
Thanks Ritesh for your valueable comment.
Thank you Sharmajee for the log. And it has come out very well. Please continue to write more in English as it can reach to more people, including outside of India since the destinations you are covering are outside India.
The practice of stamping on tags would go away soon. To make a start, now you can enter airports by showing your ticket on your phone/iPad etc. This is done to avoid those paper prints. Next in line is this stamping thing.
@ DL – You can get the immigration thing done for Indian citizens as well. I didn’t know this but in 2001 I was flying to Toronto for a couple of days and then I was to go to Minnesota. When I started from Toronto, I was surprised to see that one can check-in and it is much much smoother (I have done it only one) then what you go through in US because of huge rush. It was so much relief once I reached Minnesota (Minneapolis actually) where I can just pick my bag from the belt and just step out, as we do in our local airports. :-)
Thanks Nandan Ji for valuable information.
Surinder jee
After long time you have written a post and it was really good to have you again as author after sometime. It was wonderful post with beautiful pictures.
I am planning to go to Mahakumbh and Varanasi 3 days this year dates not fixed . May be from 1 st Feb or after 15 feb .
Hope so you have good meeting with Jatdevta this year.
Hi Vishal,
Thanks a lot for your comment. My flight is arriving at 1am at IGI. I will be at Varanasi Feb 10 for three or four days. Let me know if your dates match.
Regards