Originally Posted by
guv1976
Yes, it's very different if you're not used to it.
When I've traveled to Europe, I've gone through a government inspection upon arrival into, and departure from, the EU area. In fact, I ran into some minor difficulty once when I entered the EU on a trans-Atllantic cruise that arrived Civitavecchia, and the Italian authorities failed to stamp passengers' passports with an EU entry stamp. When I departed for home by plane from Germany some days later, the German border police (or whatever they're called) questioned me about when, where, and how I entered the EU!
Thanks for that, you obviously understand! There’s a few hairy reasons why the idea of messing things up in secure airport areas makes me break into a cold sweat. Transiting through Russia and China has ensured that I am appropriately conditioned and risk-adverse. Schiphol is the idea training ground for misshaps though, wind and fury without the fire (all the shouting less of the weapons).
MrLapLap and I once thought we’d try to visit the USA on foot from the Canadian Niagara Falls side on our honeymoon. Bad idea. Never felt the same way about US Customs/Border Control after that.