https://www.topdeck.travel/trips/notes/default/ELOBUU-9 Archives

At the football with the Germans in Munich

14th June 202414th June 2024 funtime65

Football is an international language and we had Stein in common at the football with the Germans in Munich.

The Stein I was bigging up was the legendary Celtic and Scotland manager Jock Stein.

The Stein the Bayern Munich fan standing next to me was more familiar with was the drinking vessel beloved of Bavarians.

In between we took in the Bavarian derby, Bayern v Nuremberg, which the hosts won 1-0.

Before my head now full of gutteral-sounding German footballers I headed back to the Oktoberfest.

Only to walk into an argument between the girlfriends of opposing football fans outside the Hofbrauhuis.

Fighting frauleins

All of which I ought to have known about from too many Saturday nights out on the town back in Scotland.

And my act of gallantry ended up with one of the fighting frauleins catching me with a haymaker.

And the next thing I knew I was being ambulanced to the hospital with a suspected broken nose.

The German doctor was as efficient as you’d expect and an hour or so later I was back on the road.

Carry on camping

Only dizzy with the beer and the bloody nose, I could not remember the camp site where I was staying.

Thankfully the taxi driver took a punt at the camp where the Aussies and Kiwis would annually fill up.

With the Antipodeans my coach mates for the week.

Now if the Munich Beerfest is Down Under Abroad at that time of year.

With the (very) odd Scot who has stumbled on to a budget Top Deck coach thrown in for good measure.

Then this weekend is all about the Jocks with 200,000 Tartan Army foot soldiers having invaded the Bavarian capital.

Munich revisited

It’s 40 years since my act of chivalry at Oktoberfest.

Jock Stein died later that year after collapsing on the touchline helping Scotland en route to World Cup qualification.

I would hope though that my Munich mate is still cheering on his beloved Bayern.

That the two frauleins made up and now warn their kinder to behave when they go to the football.

And to indulge well-meaning hairy-faced Scotsmen who just wants all football fans to be freundes.

Just like I have gone on to be from the Ruhr to Hamburg and all points east and south.

And will be there in spirit with the Tartan Army as Schottland face Deutschland in the Euro 24 opener.

At the football with the Germans in Munich.

America, Countries

The Saga of Over 140 Tours

19th August 202319th August 2023 funtime65

I started a thread that’s started the whole world smiling, and with apologies to the Bee Gees mine’s is the Saga of Over 140 Tours.

My old employers from my student days in Aberdeen, where we made lunches for their day trips in Grampian, have been in touch.

And they have flagged up their brochure Worldwide with the tagline Over 140 Tours to explore worldwide.

Now I know we’re all living longer but Over 140s?

Saga, as well as being my summer employers which funded my Top Deck Oktoberfest booze bus antics was also my parents’ go-to travel providers.

Worldwide vision

China in their hands: The folks at the Great Wall

Saga has built its reputation on providing the best travel for the over-50s.

And yes that’ll creep up on you although these guys speed up rather than slow down.

It’s not nicknamed Sex And Games For The Aged for nothing.

Saga are teasing us in their new Worldwide brochure with somewhere very close to home which is home.

Dream experiences

Scotland is new on the menu alongside Valencia, the Azores and India.

Alongside old favourites across Europe, Asia, Australia, Borneo and more.

Of course Saga offers dream experiences across the travel spectrum…

You know… solo tours, stay and explore, small group tours and escorted tours.

Now as Saga like to start as they go on they’ll take the stress out of your door to airport experience by giving you a VIP driver.

Either to London or your local airport.

Mighty Mississippi

And because it’s what would make my missus happy then I’ll flag up the sample Journey on the Mighty Mississippi.

Journey on the Mighty Mississippi is a 15-nighter down the grand old river from £5,945.

That includes your travel insurance with 11 excursions and visits.

Welcome to the Jungle: Elvis’s Jungle Room

And…

Tours of Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans
Entrance to Studio B, Country Music Hall of Fame, and Graceland
Complimentary shore excursions in every port on the cruise (‘Hop-On Hop-O’ coaches in Vicksburg, Natchez, Baton Rouge, St Francisville, and visit to Nottoway Plantation)
3 days – free time
7 nights in hotels, 7 nights cruise on
American Queen and 1 in flight
International flights.
Prices are based on return flights with British Airways (direct) or United Airlines (indirect) from London Heathrow.
Supplements may apply from other airports
22 meals: 9 breakfasts 6 lunches
7 dinners

Europe, Food & Wine

Grin and beer it but it’s Oktoberfest masks

19th June 202218th June 2022 funtime65

Well that would be one way of shutting me up, I’m afraid we’ll have to grin and beer it but it’s Oktoberfest masks.

Now I’ve been chucked out of other establishments, including my high school, but none as big as the Lowenbrau or Hofbrau huises at the Oktoberfest.

And because every Dancing Dad has their favourite stories on repeat let’s recap.

The first time was when I tried to redress the unfair balance of baying Antipodeans (mostly in my party) competing with chants of ‘Ausssie’ and ‘Kiwi’.

And so I climbed onto the bandstand as the oompah band was in full flow, and took the mic, to sing uninvited ‘My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean’.

A minute later my bonnie was lying over the outside of the hall.

And because youth is wasted on the young I hadn’t remembered (maybe the drink) or learned from my past experience.

Back for more

And returning from a Bayern Munich v Nuremberg match I got between two rival football supporters who were fighting.

I thought I was being gallant as they were women, despite knowing all about never coming between fighting women from my time growing up in Glasgow.

A boyfriend took exception (my story, and I’m sticking to it) and bust my nose.

A hospital visit and a taxi later with me not knowing where my campsite was and relying on the cabbie and I was back on site and with a thirst on me.

The Mask

Back to Oktoberfest 2022 and the good news is that it is back after its Covid hiatus.

But with a difference with the German government considering enforced compulsory mask-wearing in all public spaces –including bars – from October to March.

Good luck with that Mein Herr.

Because once the Munich crowd get started on their steins of beer and schnapps chasers then you’ll have the divil’s own job to get the seven million drinkers to put their masks back on.

That’s if they can even find them because I sure as heck I wasn’t able to find my own backside.

The times are a-changin’

And you might expect things to have changed in the 36 years.

Since I last clinked steins at the Oktoberfest.

And alas it looks as if my booze bus doesn’t drive to Munich.

I dare say Wombat the driver has long since hung up his drinking gloves.

And is back home in Oz draining a cold one (or judging by his waistline) a kegful.

And in its place it has this package which involves making your own way and staying at the hostel.

After which the Topdeck people will look after you over the next three days.

So no trip to Dachau or Austrian overnighter with tobogganing and glass boot and schnapps drinking games. Hey-ho.

Still, who knows some of the stragglers from our Eighties booze trips may not have made it back or have continued the annual pilgrimage.

The Oktoberfest Braumeister

So check out their specs for their Oktoberfest Braumeister.

And get their app to find out more about costs.

Although you’d have to get into a booze bus time machine.

To get £84 for six days with accommodation on the bus and friends for years.

Those who will drop in on you for a winter in Aberdeen in the north-east of Scotland and form an Earl’s Court Aussie colony there.