Munich may have stolen my heart. The trip was far different from any other I’ve taken thus far and there weren’t any dull moments (Plus, it was really nice to not have any wifi for four days). For our first two nights we had booked two tents with the company Stoke Travel. When I looked at this back in March all I wanted was nice weather for this part of the trip. Can you imagine being intoxicated for 48 hours and then coming back to sleep in a wet tent? No thank you. The pub crawl in Prague really drained me and so I slept on the six hour train ride. We got some really gross train food and each took up three seats so we could enjoy a bed-esq setting for a few REM cycles. We woke up in a panic as the six hours came to a close and just hopped off the train. However, it was the wrong stop. It was a struggle, but we eventually figured it out and made our way to the campsite. We pulled up on the bus and saw RVs- a nice surprise. We even had a moment of hope that there would be nice showers. I walked into the campsite and then we saw the tents and were immediately greeted with a welcome beer by the staff and given the rundown of how everything worked. I paid 50€ a night to sleep and then 5€ for unlimited beer, sangria and food. By unlimited, I actually mean never ending. We unpacked, met the staff and then just drank. A lot. It was such a cool environment because the staff was chill and had crazy stories of how they got there. To paint a picture of their attitude and the atmosphere, the slogan for the company is, “Stoke Travel, your tent or mine?” (The founder is 29 and it’s the most laid back place I’ve ever been) Other signs they had read, “f*** calm, get stoked”, “pass out with your shoes on and you’re fair game” and “If it weren’t for booze, we’d be virgins.” There was even a big tent in the middle named, “The Love Jungle” and complete with oversized stuffed tigers and lions. I think my favorite story from camping was when one guy went to puke and they tried ti capture it on a slow motion camera. Then of course there was disco stu (also known as Ryan, but disco stu fits his attitude and fro). This kid came to the campsite alone and had been there for a week just hanging out because he liked it so much. Weirdly entertaining guy. Music was blaring, strobe-lights everywhere, an open kitchen, beer pong tables and of course, bongs. I killed it at beer pong, we drank until we couldn’t see straight and made our way to the beer tents at Springfest. People were dressed in the traditional German outfits you see on Halloween and beer was everywhere. I’ve never been a beer fan, but I am now. It was kind of like a carnival with rides and food. We also ended up meeting up with some of our friends that were in Munich for one last night. Nick had traveling with us in Berlin, but met up with Joey, Chris and Alex. Super cool guys looking to have a good time. They came back to the campsite with us got endless drinking games and beer bongs (I successfully completed my first). Passed out in my tent and woke up the next morning for a bike tour of Munich. As we took shots of water, we found out that the guys had missed their plane to Rome and left behind hats, shirts, etc. We felt bad for them, but drank to celebrate the fact that they actually made it to the airport. After breakfast we went into the city with Patrick, one of the Stoke staff members (and my favorite), and went on the highest ranked bike tour in Munich; Frankie’s. Frankie was a cool dude that had been traveling the world since he was 17. Originally from Hawaii, he told us about living in South Africa, Asia, London and Germany. The background quickly led into some bike safety. I’m sure everyone has heard the phrase, “it’s just like riding a bike, it’ll come back to you.” This is a downright lie. I haven’t been on a bike that isn’t stationary in a LONG time. In Germany (and Amsterdam), biking is one of the main modes of transportation. There are also a ton of tourists in Germany. I was absolutely petrified that I was going to either die or kill someone. I think it would actually be considered vehicular manslaughter if I ride a bike unsupervised for too long (especially intoxicated..oops). We were apart of a large group and began our tour. I stayed in the back to avoid any collisions and was successful for the most part! I did hit the curb a few times and may or may not have dinged a car or two. We rode through the oldest market in Munich, to the wave (man made dam where you can surf!), pebbled beaches, the English Gardens, around Parliament, St. Peter’s and the Glockenspiel. I know I’m forgetting tons of stops that we made, but I forgot my phone for this trip and was very focused on not crashing. Halfway through the tour we took a beer break at the second largest beer garden in the world. The food was just as good as the beer and people watching. The hour went by too quickly and we were off again. The second half of the tour I was stuck with a bike that didn’t have a bell, Patrick’s chain broke, and I almost took out pedestrians as I noticed that the park we were riding through was indeed a naked park. Also, I made it a mission to avoid what Germans call ‘suiciders’, or dogs without leases that jump out I bushes and attack bike tires. The tour was a unique was to see the city and I did one in Amsterdam a few years back. Definitely check it out! From the tour we went back to Springfest. Again, another enjoyable experience that ended at the campsite for unlimited food and booze. I actually ended up cooking (yes, I cooked) schnitzel and vegetables like a boss. At this point in the trip my hair was officially so greasy it was probably plastered to my head thanks to the lack of showers (I rocked the Auburn hat) and I had maybe had three glasses of water. Dehydrated, exhausted, and a stiff body due to no pillows and very thin sleeping bags. I distinctly remember waking up and thinking this is how babies feel since they can’t lift their heads properly. Anyway, it was a sad goodbye when we left the next morning. (The best part was waking up to disco stu passed out on a tree with Red Hot Chili Peppers blaring) All the staff came out to hug us and give us beers for the road. An experience I loved and would do again in a heartbeat (minus the whole not showering thing).
For our last day in Munich we stayed in a hostel. It was so nice to shower and have a place so close to the train stations. We were all starving so we stopped for beer at one of the local gardens. Of course as we were waking in, John accidentally stepped on my foot and broke my favorite pair of flip flops. They are ratty, black, rubbery sandals that have been falling apart since a friend’s dog but part of the strap two years ago- but I love them. So there’s that. After enjoying lunch in the sun we went back to the hostel to grab some shoes and head out I get a feel for the city by simply walking around. We saw most of the sights that had been pointed out the bike tour the previous day. After waiting to see the Glockenspiel show (that only goes off around noon and 5pm daily) that didn’t actually happen, we walked into some spectacular churches and took a nap in the English Gardens. The funny part of the day was when we weren’t sure which side of the garden to approach. The naked side and normal side are divided by a small river. Clearly, both sides are a popular stop for your average German on a Thursday afternoon. Turns out, we walked in the nude side and were ‘welcomed’ by a lot if very burnt, old men posing in ways that have scarred me for life- in an absolutely hilarious way. We took a quick nap and walked through the city to the hostel to prepare for our last night out; the beer challenge. Let’s be honest here, not one of us won this challenge in the least. Liters on liters on liters on alcohol with some fun guys. A perfect way to end my 72 hours of alcoholism. John and I are headed to Switzerland to meet up with some of his college buddies and Melia and Melissa are making their way to Paris in the morning. Looking forward to some extreme sporting in the Alps!
And some more thoughts: the public transportation in Germany is on an honor system. If you’re caught without a ticket, it’s a 40€ fine! (But we still only bought tickets once) Wheat beer is the best beer without a doubt (banana tasting beer is probably my new obsession). Train travel is the easiest, most efficient and comfortable way to travel. Munich is the most stylish city I’ve visited. Munich also has the most attractive men and women. I could easily see myself living in Munich! Also, pretzels are not in any way shape or form overrated.
So There Was This One Time: 