Oktoberfest: Munich, Germany.

Oktoberfest: Munich, Germany. Experience Oktoberfest with BritBound on this five-­‐day camping trip to Munich. This trip, operated by Topdeck, starts and ends in London and features return overnight drives to Munich in a modern coach. Enjoy return shuttles to the Oktoberfest grounds, cooked breakfasts, and cosy pre-­‐erected tents to sleep in after a hard day’s celebrating in Bavaria! The legendary German beer festival is a must on any Europe travel checklist. Fall in love with Oktoberfest in Munich. Prost! The Bucket List • Walking tour of Munich • Join in on the Oktoberfest celebrations More Inclusions • 3 Hot Breakfasts • 2 Nights camping in twin-­‐share pre erected tents with air mattresses • Return overnight coach travel from London • Return ferry transfers • Return shuttles from the camp ground to the Beer Halls • Commemorative T-­‐Shirt • BritBound Trip Leader • BritBound Party Pack • Topdeck Ground Crew and Driver About your Trip Notes These Trip Notes contain everything you need to know before your trip departs, including where to meet, what to bring, and what you can expect on your trip of a lifetime! Also, you can easily download and print this document off so you can check off the lists or bring it with you when you travel. Please do bear in mind though, some points should be taken as a guide only -­‐ after all, everyone’s different! For example, daily spending money and clothing lists can vary greatly from one person to the next so don't be alarmed if you don't expect to spend (or even wear) so much! Your Oktoberfest Trip begins and ends at The BritBound Base. Suite 16, Hurlingham Studios, Ranelagh Gardens Fulham SW6 3PA Trip check-­‐in time: 12-­‐12.45pm Departure time: 1.00pm Getting to The BritBound Base. We are located a 30 second walk from Putney Bridge Tube Station on the Wimbledon branch of the District Line. When exiting the station turn left, and then turn left at the end of the first street, we are the first building on the left; “Hurlingham Studios”. If reaching us by bus, the following routes all lead to Putney Bridge Tube Station as well: 39, 85, 93, 265, 270, and 414 Your BritBound Host for this Trip will be Jake (pictured right), should you need to get in contact, Jake can be reached on the following number 07599 026 917. Your Itinerary Day 1 | 23rd SEP 2016 | Overnight Coach Departing from London this afternoon we drive through the English countryside as we make our way to Dover, from where we catch the ferry across the Channel to Calais, France. We continue across northern France, crossing the German border near the Netherlands, as we make our way to Munich! Please keep in mind that this is an overnight journey, so blankets and pillows are always a good idea. Day 2 | 24TH SEP 2016 | Munich Arriving in Munich early this morning, we're in time for a full cooked breakfast at the campsite. After checking into our already-­‐erected tents (with air mattresses supplied!) you will get back on the coach to head to the Oktoberfest grounds to enjoy this world-­‐renowned festival of beer. What first began as a horse race in a field to celebrate the wedding of Bavarian Prince Ludwig in the beginning of the 19th century has subsequently grown into the world's largest festival, attracting upwards of six million visitors every year! Today is your first chance to see what it is all about; and there is more to do here than just drink beer. In between the many beer halls there are hundreds of stalls serving local delicacies that the Germans have perfected over the centuries to help absorb the beer, such as large bread pretzels, filling 'knödel' (bread or potato dumplings) and of course the best of the German 'würst'. There are fairgrounds with numerous rides and rollercoasters that cater to kids and others reluctant to grow up. And of course there is the beer. Millions of litres of it in fact; over the next two weeks some seven million litres of beer will be consumed in the various brewery-­‐run tents. So order yourself one of the colossal one-­‐litre glasses of beer (known in the local dialect as a 'maß' -­‐ pronounced 'muss' and translates as a 'measure'), get ready to sing along with the obligatory 'oompah band' and enjoy what is likely to be one of the most memorable days of your life you never remember. Prost! 3 | Day 3 | 25TH SEP 2016 | Munich Today the day is yours to do as you please. This is a good chance to try out some of the different beer halls you may have missed yesterday -­‐ after all there are many more here than just the travellers' favourite Hofbräuhaus. For those looking to take it a bit easier there is a whole different world of fun going on outside the tents. Of course, if you wanted to head in to town for a spot of sightseeing, the city centre is only a short S-­‐Bahn-­‐ride away. Day 4 | 26TH SEP 2016 | Overnight Coach This morning after your fully-­‐cooked breakfast, we load the coach and head into Munich city centre for our guided walking tour of this historic German city. Our walk will take in the Old Town Hall, the Church of our Lady and the iconic Glockenspiel in Marienplatz. After the walking tour the morning is yours to do as you please! For those of you who wish to head into the beer halls it is a short train ride away from the city centre. Or if you are all Oktoberfest-­‐ed out, why not stay in town and explore what else Munich has to offer? We leave Munich this afternoon to head back to Calais on our overnight drive. Day 5 | 27TH SEP 2016 | London After catching our early morning ferry from Calais to Dover we arrive back in London mid-­‐morning, where sadly it is time to say goodbye to our travel mates and crew. Accommodation Address Campingplatz Thalkirchen (Bed and Breakfast) Zentralland Str. 49 Munich Telephone: +49 89 723 1707 Check In: 24th Sep 2016 Check Out: 26th Sep 2016 Background to Oktoberfest Oktoberfest, or “Wies’n” as the locals call it, started way back on 12 October, 1810, when Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess Therese of Saxony-­‐Hildburghausen and celebrated the wedding with a horse race in a large field outside the city. The people were invited to attend and the Prince even got the Munich breweries to knock up a special brew in commemoration of the event. From these humble origins the event has grown into one of the biggest festivals on the planet, serving over 6.6 million litres of beer to over 6 million visitors. Plus whatever you happen to drink while you're there! Despite it's name, Oktoberfest actually starts in September, always beginning about two weeks before the first Sunday of October. This means the start date varies year on year. (But the fun is always guaranteed!) During festival the beer tents are open from 10am (9am on weekends) until 10.30pm each day. Sadly, we are unable to make reservations in the Oktoberfest grounds on your behalf. But it's a simple case of turning up early to get into beer tents without a reservation (especially on weekends) as they fill up very quickly. Once the tents are full, you cannot enter. On weekends the tents often close before 11.00 am. During the week the tents are normally open until late in the afternoon. If you want to make a reservation for a table, you must do so with the individual breweries that set up the beer tents. Further information about this can be found on the official Oktoberfest website. Dress for the fest The traditional dress for the duration of the festival is 'lederhosen' for the boys, a one-­‐piece leather overall with short legs, and a 'dirndl' for the girls, a frilled dress designed to accentuate the, erm, chest area. If you wish, you can buy the outfit once in Munich for anywhere from €70 to over €500! If you do decide to purchase traditional dress, it makes a great souvenir after the festival has ended. Dirndl for the ladies Lederhosen for the lads Meals Fully-­‐cooked breakfasts are included each day you spend camping, which will be a buffet style menu. Finances Changing Money ATMs/cashpoints are available all over Europe and are the safest and easiest way to access money. Major credit cards are also accepted and we recommend you bring yours along in case you see something special that you hadn't budgeted for. We recommend that you change approximately €100 in cash before departure. Spending Money Based on experience, we recommend at least €50 – €60 per day. This is to cover daily expenses including sightseeing, small souvenir shopping, and non-­‐included meals. Remember, this is a rough figure only and spending habits vary greatly between individuals according to their budget and habits! Tipping Although you may not be accustomed to tipping at home, in many European countries it is customary. In some countries a service charge may be added to your bill, in other countries it is usual to round the bill up to the nearest Euro or to leave an additional amount of between 5% and 10%. Your Trip Leader will be able to advise you further on the tipping customs in the countries you visit. Insurance It is compulsory for all passengers to take out comprehensive travel insurance before the trip departs covering cancellation, medical expenses including repatriation, loss or damage to baggage and personal belongings, money, and personal liability. World Nomads provide comprehensive travel insurance for people from over 140 countries. For more information go to http://www.britbound.co.uk/guidebook/article/travel-­‐socialising/travel-­‐insurance. You must bring a copy of your travel insurance policy with you on the trip. Your Trip Leader will make a record of your travel insurance details at the start of your trip, e.g. the name of the insurance company, the 24 hour emergency telephone number, and your policy number. These will be sent to our operations team to ensure that if you lose your policy details, they can be easily retrieved. Passports and Visas Please make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after the last day of your trip. Some countries will refuse entry if there is not at least six months validity remaining on your passport after your departure date from their country. Depending on your nationality, you may require a visa to enter certain countries. It is your responsibility to obtain these prior to the departure of this trip. You can consult the government websites of the countries in which you will be travelling or your own government’s website to determine which visas you will require. We also have a visa chart on our website listing the visas required by some nationalities travelling on our trips. To check go to www.topdeck.travel/visas. Health and Safety We want to make sure you’re having the time of your life while travelling with us. Therefore, if you suffer from any kind of medical condition or allergies, we will need to know at the time of booking, or at least three weeks prior to the departure of your trip. If you require regular medication, you must have a sufficient supply before your trip departs, as it may be difficult to obtain while travelling. You must be able to administer your own medication, as Topdeck Road Crew will not be able to administer it, and there are no guarantees that there will be anyone with first aid training on board. Vaccinations There are currently no compulsory vaccinations required for any of the countries this trip visits. Please reconfirm this with your GP or health professional before you leave as conditions can change. General Information Public toilets In most European countries you can expect to pay a small amount to use public toilets at service stations and in city centres. It is a common practice in Europe and should be regarded as a form of ‘tipping’, as the money goes to the people who clean and/or maintain the facilities. It is very rare that public toilets do not supply toilet paper, but it may be useful to carry a pack of tissues with you. Power All European countries (with the sole exception of the United Kingdom) use a CEE7/16 standard round, two-­‐prong plug and a single adaptor will work in all countries. Voltage Throughout Europe the voltage is a uniform 220v. If the voltage is the same or similar in your home country your appliance will comply. If you have a 110v appliance you will need to use a transformer to avoid damaging your appliance. In Cases of Emergency While we hope you never have to use it, if for any reason you need to contact someone from BritBound or Topdeck, whether it be that you have missed a trip departure meeting, have become separated from your trip on the road or any other unforeseeable problem, the following options are available to you. Jake’s Mobile Tel: +44 (0)7599 026 917 BritBound London Office Your best recourse to assistance during the day is to call our team between 9am-­‐6pm Monday to Friday. Tel: +44 (0)7907 731 021 Tel: +44 (0)8454 503 536 Topdeck London Office Your best recourse to assistance during the day is to call our team between 8am-­‐9pm Monday to Friday. Tel: +44 (0)20 8987 3305 What to Bring We recommend soft bags, suitcases or frameless backpacks, plus a small day pack or carry bag. No external framed bags please, as they damage other bags on the coach. Please limit your luggage to a maximum of 20kg. Luggage must not exceed dimensions of 70cm in height, 45cm in width and 25cm in depth. Please note that due to space and weight restrictions on our coaches, passengers with too much luggage on departure morning may be told that they cannot take their entire luggage with them. Any luggage left behind will be at your own risk and you will be required to pay any costs incurred. On your trip, you will need to bring a sleeping bag; this is necessary even in the summer months as it can get very cold in Munich around the time of Oktoberfest. Make sure you have warm clothes with you such as thermals and a good winter jacket. Final Checklist Passport (with visas if required!) Insurance Policy (you must bring these details with you) Camera; batteries; chargers; conversion plug