A MINI ADVENTURE: PART 1

One of the major tasks involved with moving overseas is deciding what to take with you. Whether sending possessions via air or sea, it is generally not a cheap process and so it’s crucial to take only what you really want.

That’s why, with a week to go before moving, I had a relatively modest stack of boxes ready to be collected by an international shipping company.

There’s nothing quite like relocating 4,000 miles to make you realize which things you really want to keep, and which you no longer need.

I sold most of my CDs, DVDs and books, donated clothes and other items, gave beer to friends and generally spent a year shrinking the amount of “stuff” I owned.

There was, however, one thing I couldn’t pack, and definitely didn’t want to get rid of: my car.

For those that don’t know, I have a 1991 Mini City, which has been through some scraps and adventures in his time. Late night journeys to Wales, driving through pouring rain to the south coast and having to stop every few miles to clear water off of the engine, even getting stolen/unlawfully sold recently; he’s had quite a life.

He’s also been fairly expensive given bodywork repairs, a new engine and plenty of other upgrades and fixes. But there is no way I could leave him behind for good.

Importing a vehicle to the USA is a daunting task. There seems to be about as much paperwork as I’ve needed to get myself here, as well as EPA regulations, DOT laws, and customs fine print.

I’ve needed to arrange collection in the UK, transport to the docks, shipping across the ocean and then there’s the labyrinth of red tape to get through when he arrives.

In fact the only reason I can really bring him overseas is his age – being over 21 years old he is exempt from a lot of the EPA restrictions which otherwise would prevent import.

I’ve had a lot of help from companies both sides of the Atlantic, and so on September 13th he set sail aboard a comically large ship for his size…

Currently he is just off of the eastern seaboard, a couple of days away from landing in Baltimore, Maryland. I’ve received the customs clearance form which is good news; my biggest fear has been some technicality causing problems as there are some real horror stories from imports come wrong. Hopefully everything is going to plan.

Fingers crossed he should be unloaded, cleared and on his way to Minnesota by next week…