[IdentityCrisisMama]

I've got my sister and brother here visiting. They're young and their mother (my step-mom) is in Paris. Anyway, they didn't bring their passports to Germany with them. I had planned a trip to Amsterdam and am now afraid to travel. It's HOT here and I need to get around.

What would you do? Would you just travel and risk a spot check? What would happen if we got stopped?

 

[Plaid Leopard]

Are you traveling by train? I know I always get checked in the train coming and going into France. Don't know about going elsewhere though. I would say the greater risk is trying to get back into Germany. Personally I wouldn't travel w/o a passport, or with younger folks w/o a passport.

You can always come to Saarbrucken! Amsterdam's got nothing on Saarbrucken hahahahahaha

 

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I will come to Saarbruken soon. Maybe on my way to Madrone if I don't get there sooner.

I've got a good friend from CA coming in today. I wanted to meet him in Amsterdam because he's flying into Dusseldorf.

But, I'm not going to risk it. The main reason is that I just don't want to sit on a train for 10 hours worrying that we'll be checked, yk?

PMing you...

 

[behr]

I would definitely not try this, especially going to and from Holland. Just too much chance of trouble.

 

[Plaid Leopard]

ICM - your mailbox is full.

Behr - are you really leaving Germany soon?

 

[Hollycrand]

ICM,

If you'd like to travel, I'd stick to Germany. You could go to France (they don't check passports in areas like Saarbrucken/Saarlouis or Strasbourg when travelling by car). By train it's always a risk. Of course, it's always a risk travelling anywhere (even walking around in Paris - even when you're living or staying there) going outside without valid ID. The police can stop you in Germany at any time and demand valid ID. If you can't produce it, off to the police station you go.
The worst that would happen is that they might be sent back to the US, or they'd have to consult legal counsel provided by the US Embassy.

Amsterdam is a European hot spot, and people (especially young) coming from there are often searched for drug possession or otherwise.
As for the weather, it's supposed to cool off in the next couple of days. You could always take a swim in the Rhine River or lake Constance!

Behr - What's this I hear about you leaving Germany soon?