[pure-silver] Re: A travel to Canada

Hi !
First of all, I thank you for your offer, but a friend of mine will pick us at the airport. But, I'll check with my wife (which is planning the whole trip and has a busy schedule for us...) if we can manage a meeting. The airline is the cheapest I've found it's called Air Transat. They operate Airbus A310-300 a plane I know because I was working for Airbus during it's design... As for the film, I plan to pack either a Nikon F80 and lenses or my Mamiya C330 with lenses. In both cases, I've a full fridge of films. So I'll pack them and refrain to buy more ;-) I think I will not pack the MPP camera and Grafmatics and tripod. As I'm slow, my wife will complain (the schedule....) so I can/may stay under the maximal weight allowance. I would like to know the actual state of Montreal airport control because, 20 years ago, they bothered me because my camera was dismantled and asked with an hand on to the gun to "take a picture using my camera an show it is _really_ a working camera" I think they were suspicious about electric/electronic equipment after the Lockerby DC10 bombing. 
I prefer to avoid such situations and be prepared _before_.....
I will of course have time (I hope) to visit Montreal and Quebec photographic shops to find "the perfect bargain" to ingrease GAS syndrome.... Who knows ? So I'm looking for a list of shops still having second hand gear ;-) 
Thanks for your help !
Bogdan Karasek a écrit :

Bonjour George,

Please, more details on your voyage to Québec and the rest of Canada.
Where will you be staying in Montréal? I can pick you up at the airport and drive you to your destination, if you don't have prior arrangements; I am only a 15 minute drive from the airport.
I would suggest putting the tripod, with the tripod head, in stowed luggage. I have flown with this arrangement several times to the US, Korea and China. No problems. Cameras and lenses definitely go in carry on camera bag along with your film that you ask to have hand inspected. You are probably coming in on Air France or Air Canada, so it might be a good idea to call their office and get specific details concerning photographic equipement and their regulations and if they permit hand examination of the film. When I fly to the US, I am ALWAYS the random passenger who is searched a second time just before boarding and several times, they had my stowed luggage at the door of the airplane and where asking for explanations about that thing with three extendable legs and a swivel head. My experience has been that anybody traveling with something more than a digital P&S receives special attention, throw in a tripod or monopod and you get a second glance. You get used to it and prepare in consequence. I always have a typed card in the stowed suitcase that lists my photographic equipment inside, tripod, lenses in special containers, etc. If possible, I also leave a note asking them to page me if there is a problem. If I have a cell phone, I ask them to call me to resolve the problem. Don't want my tripod or lens confiscated. In Beijing, they confiscated my nail file; go figure...and that's after I had flown Montreal, Chicago, Seoul, Qindao, Beijing... :(
There are no police regulations for photographing in the city. Private Malls are sometimes a problem; security guards think they are flics. I have a business card with my name, art photographer, address, tel, email ( in English and French, Québec and other large sections of Canada are bilingual) and I give them that to show that I am serious; up front with them. Tell them what I am doing. Usually works. If it doesn't, they are quite polite and explain why. In one underground mall in downtown Montréal, I cannot take pictures of the display windows; reasons of insurance, everything else is OK.
I was thinking about the possibility of you buying your film here; it might be cheaper. Let me know what film you use and I'll check availability and the price; then you can compare prices; less luggage that way, but nature abhors a vacuum and you might get an extra lens in there ;)
maybe we can meet up and take in the photographic sites that are de rigeur. Write me off-list and maybe we can work something out. Not every day that I can meet a pure-silver member from Europe. 

Are you coming for the film festival?

Any other questions you may have, please feel free to ask.

Salut,
Bogdan



Georges Giralt wrote:

Hi !
I plan to go to Canada end of August.
Could someone tell me how should I pack my photographic gear to comply with the actual airline and police regulations ? I normally use a LowePro Nature Trekker AW II which, I suspect, will be a little too big for the cabin ??? 
I will land at Montreal Trudeau airport.
Any help will be appreciated ;-)





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