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3rd October (Oktoberfest 2)

Oktoberfest Part 2

Click Here to view photos from
the second weekend of the Oktoberfest.

3rd October

Once just wasn�t enough so it was back to the Oktoberfest for Lou and I for another round of Bavarian festivities last weekend, this time catching up with Ben Rowley, a fellow South Aussie who timed his travels perfectly to coincide with the great event.

As I mentioned in the last update we were heading to Munich to join an AIESEC trainee reception weekend, an event where trainees and AIESECers from all around Europe converge on the city to experience one of the most famous parties in the world. After a short train ride to Munich on the Friday night we were
soon joining all the trainees for a welcoming party at our accomodation, a gym they booked in the suburbs of Munich (it�s hard to find cheap accommodation for 80 people at this time of the year). The beer flowed freely and it didn�t take long before the dancing started. The AIESECers have a habit of
inventing dances and songs at their conferences so we got to see a few
renditions of these. The party went into the early hours of the morning despite the
fact we all knew we�d have to be up at 7am the next morning, primed for a full day
of Oktoberfest action.

4 hours later and we were cruelly awoken to the sounds of smashing pots and
pans.

Click on the photo above to see little Mike B at the HoffBrau house in 1984

As I mentioned in the last update, getting to the Oktoberfest early is crucial, especially when you�re in a large group. The cold showers helped to jolt me out of my hangover morning haze and after a quick brekkie we were on the tram to the Oktoberfest.

I went via the train station to collect Ben, who had arrived 2 hours earlier on a train from Prague, and also my work mate Kai, and his internet girlfriend (although he denies this, but from the smooching I saw later on I�m not so sure).

those who had failed to secure seating was rising dramatically and we almost had to beat them off with sticks to keep the empty seats free (I�m not exaggerating). It was entertaining seeing large groups, such as one group of about 18 Italians, rocking up after 10am and being amazed that they couldn�t find adequate seating and then yelling at each other about it. It turns out the Italians are actually exceptionally unpopular amongst the Germans at the Oktoberfest because of how rowdy they get (us Aussies some how managed to get off the hook).

The band started up at 12pm and by that stage we were each getting towards the end of our 2nd litre of beer. It wasn�t long before everyone was up on the stools singing along and the party was in full swing.

Late afternoon we decided to risk possible beer regurgitation and head for the rides;
of which there are plenty. Luckily everything stayed in place and we returned to our
beer tent to get our 4th litre of beer. You�re probably wondering why I was only up to
my 4th litre of beer after 10 odd hours. Well after my experience from the previous
Sunday morning, and my desire to last out the whole day, I was determined to pace
myself (despite Ansgar egging me on to keep up). Luckily this policy worked well and
I noticed Ansgar�s absence later that evening, no doubt driving the old porcelain bus
somewhere.

When we got back into the tent (it took a while) we joined a table with some really funny locals on a buck�s night. Somehow they managed to lose the buck during the course of the evening, although this wasn�t all that surprising considering their (and Ben and my) state. After only about 20 minutes of drinking and singing with them these guys were like best mates (funny how beer can make complete strangers seem like good friends). We were all singing along with each other (lot�s of la la la of course) and a number of us managed to fall off the stalls at one stage or another. I almost took a monstrous stack but got caught by three sets of arms on the way down. During the course of the day you �Prost� (like cheers, knocking your beers together) about 50 million times. I think Ben�s Mass (1 litre stein) must have been up to it�s 49,999,999 Prost because it spectacularly disintegrated
when he went to Prost, with the bottom half and all the beer in it, falling to the table and
onto his bag. The germans showed concern for Ben�s beer drenched bag but all Ben and
I could do was piss ourselves laughing.

11pm saw the drying up of the beer supply and we headed for the trams to get back to the
gym and catch up with the other AIESECers. Never in my life have I seen a means of public
transport so full. Our tram was crammed like a tin of sardines and everyone was drunk.
Made for a very funny trip home.

The next day we did a walking tour of Munich (they surf here! See photos) and then headed
back to Augsburg to crash out.

Well done if you read this far. If you�re reading this and thinking how much you would have loved to be there then start saving because as far as Ben, Schultzy, and I are concerned it�s all going to happen again next year.

You can see all the photos from the second weekend of the Oktoberfest by clicking here

Ned.

Unfortunately when we arrived we found that everyone else had caught on to this whole �get there early� thing and we weren�t able to find enough room to fit everyone (although some tried to cram in leaving themselves zero elbow space). A quick decision was made between Ben, Lou, Kai, Internet Girlfriend (apologies Kai but I can�t remember her name), and myself to go to an alternative beer tent. We liked the one from the previous week so much that we decided to head back there. Luckily we found ample seating and managed to keep a second table for 9 friends from Augsburg that joined us at 11am. By around 10am the frustration level amongst