[pct-l] Foreign Hiker - 2 questions

[Yoshihiro Murakami]

Dear Stefanie

Q1: Visa may be needed  for staying 5 months in US, but passport is need to
enter Canada. ( I don't know VISA may work in place of passport. Ask Canada
Border Agency )

Canada Border Agency
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/menu-eng.html

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp?country=Germany

and you also need

PCT permit and Canada entry permit
http://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/permits/

http://www.pcta.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/PCT-Canada-Entry-Form.pdf

Without these permits, you may be charged very expensive payment or
imprisonment.


Q2. Very difficult question. I failed frequently.

Cell phone

I heard that Verizon worked the best in remote place, but it may be
difficult to buy a cell phone of Verizon in other country. I live in Japan,
I bought a SIM card of AT & T. AT & T may be the better choice.

If you want to reduce the communication fee minimum, it may be better to
search IP phone application of Android or iPhone. I have just get free IP
phone application. Next year, I will call my wife by IP phone using Motel
WiFi. then the communication cost became minimum.

Iridium satellite system

I do not trust cell phone. Now, I am using a two-way communication system,
called inReach, http://www.inreachdelorme.com/

The subscription is not expensive. You can send / receive an e-mail from
anywhere, only open sky is needed. Your family or friend recognize your
location easily.  This system uses Iridium satellite network. I think it is
a very reliable system.

http://www.inreachdelorme.com/product-info/subscription-plans.php

I am using this system in Japan and USA. Therefore, the cell-phone became
 secondarily.