It was early summer and we were traveling from London to Dunkirk across the infamous English Channel on the Sally Ferry Lines. We were off to Amsterdam and Rotterdam for some fun exploring. Our first experience with the French Police and border guards. A couple of others in our group were pretty well lit. It was a fun time to party crossing the channel with the huge buffet and bar open all during the 3 hour voyage.

    Upon landing at Dunkirk we got onto the groups bus to enter into France. A little guard came on board sternly looking at us. His eyes traveled across our shocked faces.

    “Decendre” he stated loudly, then pointing out of the bus. No bags!! The other guards came over to our bus. Other buses were loaded and going into France’s border but not ours!  It was heavy misting rain and they pointed to the Examination building.

    Mark & I just followed the border police with very shiny black boots to the examination building in the rain. We had no idea what had happened or what to expect…… Two of the guys on board said grudgingly, ” that they were Americans and the French pansies can’t push them around.”

    We were escorted into areas inside the bland colored facility and a colorful uniformed supervisor said, “Strip!” pointing to the little rooms. My eyes lit up! What was happening? Were we going to miss our bus? Are we being held for what? Our backpacks were on the bus.

    We obeyed but the other 2 yelping Americans said “NO!”. Inside they wanted our passports and to see inside our pockets. We then got dressed and went out under the tented area.

    I asked Mark, “What was that all about?” We got back on the bus waited for a bit longer for others. But the 2 loud growling drunk Americans were not seen of again!