Diary: Weekend 19-21 September 08

Oktoberfest!

Fri 19 September

• A quiet one in preparation for a loud weekend...

Sat 20 September

• Got to Heathrow about 14:00, snuck in a quick pint before boarding the plane
• Arrived in Munchen about 18:00 (local), train to the hotel, checked-in and met the crew (10 of us) for dinner
• Grabbed the first stein at Augustiner Keller about 20:00, and followed it with an awesome roast pork, another stein, and another 2 pints downstairs in the (very cool) cellar. Unsurprisingly, the night decended towards farce quite quickly (see Facebook photos for proof) and stumbled out just after midnight. A quick Burger King run before bed (but made the mistake of not downing any water)

Sun 21 September

• Up at about 07:00 and felt like death-warmed-up
• Breakfast was an apple. That was enough...
• Dozily wandered down to the festival grounds, and grabbed a table about 09:30.
• Very quickly succumbed to peer pressure and grabbed the first stein of the day pretty much straight away, and the fun began
• Such a weird, surreal, random experience. Brass bands, strange singing, cheeky waiters and waitresses, odd people everywhere and, of course, a shed load of beer. Merry...
• After the 3rd stein, our table needed to be vacated, and I very strangely broke out in hives. Feeling worse-for-wear, we went back to the hotel room for a 2-hour nap, and returned to meet the crew about 19:00. What a mess!
• Goodness knows why, but we ended up at some Chinese restaurant for dinner...

Mon 22 September

• Got a decent lie-in, thank god
• Visited the "new" art gallery (the "old" one was closed on Mondays)
• Met the crew for lunch, again at an Augustiner hall (this one in the city). More beer, more roast pork. Sated...
• Boarded the plane in the afternoon, and walked in home about 21:00