Passports

If you travel, chances are you have a passport. If you have renewed your passport in the past year or two, you've stood in line, and it was probably a long line. I remember reading stories of people paying the homeless to camp out in line for them in front of the office the night before, promising them $50 if they were still there in the morning. Ever since the United States started even talking about requiring Canadians to have a passport to enter, the lines have been long... but waiting for your passport to arrive has been even longer still.
I however had a good experience the other day. Not long of a wait and an estimated arrival time of the passport in under two weeks. You do have to pay more to get it that quick though. If you have the time, get your passport early so you don't have to pay extra and more importantly, you don't have to stress about it arriving in time.
My one problem was this:
Since we are going on tour in Australia in a couple of weeks, we need working visa's to play. In order to get those, they need your passport number and expiry date. And if your passport is being processed, or in the mail being sent to you, they will not give you the number over the phone or even in person. "You must wait into you get it in your hands to find out the number." is what passport Canada told me. I guess it's for my own safety.

Things I have learned from this experience:

1. If your passport runs out within 6 months of your arrival in a new country, you should probably renew your passport, (even if you are returning before it expires).

2. To play music in a foreign Country, you need a work visa. You get this prior to entering the country.

3. Passport Canada will not give you the number over the phone, even if you need it to apply for a work visa.

Seems obvious? It is. I forgot.