icon directed at myself
feeling a bit better. sorry about that last post, LJ. it's just hard to deal with things when you let go of close friends for awhile, and when someone you trusted and even loved once turns out to be a massive fucking petty asshole. but w/e w/e
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If you're not going to have an Artist's Alley table, you don't have much to worry about at the border crossing. They don't harass tourists who just want to come into the U.S. and spend money. You just get off the bus, pick up all your personal luggage, and go through a security checkpoint. A guard-type person will ask you where you're going, why you're going there, where you're staying and how long you'll be in the country. (It's a different story if you're planning on selling anything at the convention, they'll act like you're an evil terrorist trying to steal Americans' hard-earned money. Or, well, that's what happened to me, anyway. If you do plan on selling a few art commissions for $5 each or any other tiny-scale operation, don't say so at the border!)
After declaring your reason for travel and getting your passport stamped, you'll need to put all your stuff through scanners and they might open your suitcase to poke at it. I'm sure it goes without saying not to bring deadly weapons or live animals with you, but they also hate any food products that aren't packaged/prepared. Anything that's capable of growing into a plant, basically. Baby carrots are okay but they'll confiscate a fresh, whole banana from you.
When you come back, the guards will want to know the approximate amount of money you spent, so have a number ready. You don't have to explain where you spent it, you can just say "about XXX dollars". Canadian guards are FAR more chill than American ones so the trip back is usually a breeze.
And for the actual trip part? Don't bring so much stuff that it's difficult to carry. You'll need to switch Greyhounds several times and drag all your stuff from one bus to another, not to mention that the border guards expect you to hustle your gear up onto the scanner. Don't overestimate your strength because you'll probably be tired by the end of the 26-ish-hour trip. There'll be rest stops where you can buy food, but you should bring some snacks and drinks of your own. (If you bring anything perishable, freeze juice boxes and use 'em as freezer packs.)
When you get to the bus station, there'll be lots of taxis waiting to bring the Otakon hordes to their hotels. Make sure you have about $20 US on hand to get to your hotel (or a credit card, because cabs take those now). Baltimore natives generally know what's up with Otakon and most people you encounter will know about the convention that brings 25 000 costumed geeks every year. So feel free to wander the city while in costume! It's such a big convention that all the fast food places and restaurants within a few blocks of the convention are constantly. packed. and you might need to wander for your food, anyway.
Oooookay, that's everything I can think of off the top of my head. Anything you'd like more info on? The bus trip, the convention itself, how to stay fed without spending a fortune ...?
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food-wise is what i'm post worried about, if i bring trisquits and faygo and cheese popcorn in my carry-on/in my luggage will they kill me? or as long as i can't plant it in the ground and grow a faygo bush it's okay?
my debit card wont work there as well, will it? so i need to keep all my money on me? i use BMO.
i've been on buses before so that should be alright, i know the convention is FUCKDAMN huge, so any more info aside from that would be great. getting fed without spending a fortune would be good too since i'm already spending my idea of a fortune to get there.
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i also need to call and ask my bank...
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