Oktoberfest!


Photos 37 - 54 out of 56 | Back to Albums
Heading to the pissoir,I'm stopped by yet another Austrian. This one is interesting because he is wearing an authentic Australia footy jersey. I don't know where he got it from but it was a real Cantebury jersey with a Bank of Queensland sponsor, he probably swapped it with some canetoad licker the day before. We both loved the fact that we were basically wearing each other's national uniform! Felicity got in on the action too. What she was doing at the men's pissoir however I can only imagine! Okay, now I'm starting to look like Krusty the Clown. Why I let people do these things to me I'll never know. Princess Morgan seems to like it though. Hey for once you are right Morgs - you don't always look at the camera!
It's getting on for the late afternoon. I'm semi-concious of the fact that at some point I will need to get my arse onto a train back to Salzburg, where I am staying the night before flying home to London in the morning. But the beers just taste so good, and before you know it I'm already up to stein #7... I'm still totally amazed that I didn't get red paint all over my expensive green weste (vest). Flick what have you done to me! Well I did happen to notice the wheelie bins - and not one sign saying I couldn't tackle it... :)
I think this is the money shot that really sums up my Oktoberfest. Perhaps I am singing the Cronulla club song. Perhaps not. What I do know is that I am literally having the time of my life here. I was born to come here. Yes, all class I know. This is possibly my last stein before I head back to Salzburg. I think I really do belong here, looking like a circus clown I should probably be juggling or something. It's getting on for about 7pm and I race to the souvenier stand, grab a few postcards and a 2008 collectors stein. Then it's a Harold Holt for the train station!
No worries with the trains, they depart to Salzburg every hour. I figure I'm getting too many odd looks so I wash some face paint off in the dunny, then grab a Löwenbräu for the trip and before I know it I'm back in Salzburg. I'm quite pissed so the trip really does seem quite fast! I am a man on a mission and I have a plan. The YoHo Hostel that I'm booked into was recommended by Lonely Planet as having good nightlife, probably due to the fact that there is an awesome bar downstairs that is open until 1am. Before I have dumped my bags in my room, I have already lined up my drinking partner. I asked an American bloke at the reception counter what time the bar shuts. He seems quite impressed by the random Aussie that's just rocked up from Oktoberfest wearing a full lederhosen outfit. Turns out the Seppo's name was Justin. It was just brilliant the way he exclaimed to his mates "I'm having a drink with THIS guy!" In this photo is the lovely Austrian bar tender who really got into the spirit of the evening with us! She was also very impressed by my Austrian kit, but not so impressed that I couldn't pronounce the name of their Austrian beer properly - Stiegl, but not like the chicken. I had quite literally been in the bar for about 5 minutes, and in record time I find myself up front of the whole bar leading a sing-a-long of 'Happy Birthday' to this young lady! I am also notably the only person drinking proper steins. all the other backpackers were being blouses and had glass pints.
The bartender fixed us up with a feed of some creamy, waffle like delicacy. I don't know what it was, but Justin and I managed to get it all over our faces and it was delicious! You know what it's like when you have those moments where you just can't stop laughing! I'm creamed! (In 'yer pants! Arrgh!) The bartender I think has some concern for our well being. Yes, we can go back behind the bar into the kitchen and clean ourselves up!
Ok now this is starting to become a little hazy, but I think we were playing drinking games with Jägermeister. We were on FIRE by this stage. I don't remember who the third guy is. I don't remember him at all except that he is in this photo... Note that it is now approximately midnight and I am due to fly out of the country in 9 hours time... And it very quickly starts to go downhill. I am now wandering the hostel at 2am, wondering where my room key is. I have to get the night porter to let me into my room...
   
Photos 37 - 54 out of 56 | Back to Albums
Description: If there is a place on earth that is better than Cronulla, I am yet to find it. However, Oktoberfest is clearly the runner up. Welcome to the 'Easter Show on steroids'. I had great expectations for this event and all of them were exceeded. This place is boatie heaven, so it was appropriate that I would meet up with two of them, even if they are from Elouera 🙂 It's hard to stand out in the crowd in a beer tent full of 10,000 drunk revellers at Oktoberfest, yet somehow I managed to pull it off, and finished off my week in spectacular and unforgettable style that I'm sure will go down in hostel history.
Location: Germany

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