Busted at the Airport

At Shiphol there is a passport check just after check in. That's where I got busted. Apparently everyone shares the opinion that I have stayed too long in Europe. It never occured to me that my limit was 90 days. The time on the cruise ship was not even discussed, but officially 15 May was my official entry time making me two weeks over my welcome. I was handed over to a nice officer and taken to a room with several other violators-mostly involving traffic violations and unpaid fines. One young man has an impressive pile of papers listing his various violations in the past several years and an American couple was fuming over a fine they said they had paid already-this as they handed over the credit card because it is the only way out.

So, I sang like a bird giving the addresses of all of my exchangers and swearing that I hadn't worked while I was here and agreeing that 4 month was really too much and I am very tired. I had been quite pleased with myself that I had been able to get my boarding pass on the blackberry, but at the last minute before leaving the hotel this morning I decided to print out a paper copy just in case... So, it came in handy to hand it over to the officer as I asked, "Are you going to keep me for staying too long?"

Once I was freed I was really ready for Starbucks, but none in sight. There are kilometers of terminal to walk between passport check and the gate and the airline lounges. Security check is at the gate, so there is another line. I have successfully navigated it all, have been sufficently Starbucked, have had a business class pee and a couple of glasses of juice on British Air as well as free wifi. At Starbucks I sat behind a businessman who was chatting away on his cell phone so I couldn't really tell him that his sweater vest was on wrong side out. Then I happened to look at my own shirt and sure enough I was turned around as well. It has just been that sort of morning. I'm hoping to settle in on the plane and perhaps have a snooze. I don't expect to be right for several days-perhaps even weeks, but I am looking forward to being home.

KG