London to Calais-Paris - experience from recent trip

I fully agree.

My question was only because, as a non-E.U. citizen, I can only stay
three months in the Schengen Area countries. I would like to know if
there is anyplace where I could enter Europe without getting a stamp
in my passport so if I ever got questioned I could claim I had been
there less than the three months.

I am under the impression it is no longer sufficient to just leave
the Schengen Area for a short time and then return for another three
months. It seems the requirement now is to stay out of all Europe
for at least three months before being allowed to return.

Has any non-E.U. citizen on this list had any problems with over-
staying? Does anyone know where the border controls entering the
Schengen area are most lax and passports not so likely to get
stamped?

--- In hitching@yahoogroups.com, Werner Kraft <warnerk2@...> wrote:
>
> I hitchhiked on the 17th of June from London to Bern via North
France , and did the trip to the continent several times before , so
my 5 cents to the whole affair:
>
> 1. Starting in London
> In my longtime experience the beginning of the A20 in Sidcup is
the best starting point.
> The best approach is by bus - check on the Transport for London
journey planer the best approach.
> On the first view this dual-carrige road looks not inviting - red
route = no stopping allowed under any circumstances . But within 1
hour usually somebody stops , and often you will get directly to
Dover - but write your destination on a large board.
>
> The best way around is to start early in the morning = less
drivers, and does who drive are sange-froid professionals -
bricklayers who worked late, or nightshift, and who have no fear...
>
> If you decide to walk on - there is a petrol station ca 1,5 miles
down the road , but usally it is not really worth the walk.
>
> Try to avoid junction hopping - you just get short liofts , and
will have long waiting times inbetween. The best option is the
service area Maidstone - long distance driver will stop here before
the crossing.
>
> 2. Chunnel or ferry ?
>
> This time a lorry driver gave me a lift onto the ferry - bnefore
that I used several times the shuttle train through the tunnel.
>
> There is a longer waiting queue before the ferry, where you can
ask drivers.
> There is a French payage type sation before the chunnel - normally
ideal to ask for lifts - the problem is : the officials there chase
away hitchhikers. Hide your lugagge , and walk around without
getting their attemption - as if you were a driver who just
stretches his legs.
> Again , in darkness you will be less visible.
>
> 3. I am over the channel - what now ?
>
> It is a good advise to ask for a driver on the ferry - or is it
really ?
> Most drivers go to Belgium, Germny , Eastern Europe - how to find
out those who drive to France / Paris . By asking 40 people. who
want to have their peace and quiet after a motorway trip... good
luck !
>
> Once you are in Calais, the moist obvious option is to wait with
a "Paris" board at the exit of the ferry terminal.
> DON'T GO TO MARCK SERVICE AREA - this is on the motorway to
Belgium, and therefor completely useless for a trip to PARIS/ France-
as I found out myself by experience during the trip :-)
> Once I have ended up there , I decided to walk back on the A16 to
the junction with the A26 ( Motorway direction Reims/Paris). It is
not allowed to hh on motorways - but in this emergency case it
worked out quite well, with only 30 minutes waiting time.
>
> On French motorways you hh on the peage - the toll paying
stations . Just wait with a hh-board ca 50 meters after the toll
gates - it is difficult to impossible to ask drivers directly for a
lift. Sometimes officials cjase you around - in that case go away
and came back after 10 minutes, until little Napoleon has something
else to do.
>
> 4. Do the check passports ?
> You should have valid visas for your trip - it is not good
hitchhiking practice to bring your well-meaning driver in
difficulties, just because you could not get the right papers.
> This is especially true for the return journey France - England,
as England has very tough immegration laws and unproper documents
might bring your driver in great difficulties, as he might be seen
as trafficker for illegal immegrants.
>
>
>
>
>
>