Marathon Man

So I am flying in with at least one from Boston, another guy from DC, and another from NC and another from NYC and one more from Houston. One more may come from Montreal--he is from VT. Likely most of us on LH.


Getting into and staying in tents:
So there are a few dynamics to keep in mind. If you are in a big group then some rent a table. I have never done it but if I see Oliver the MOD I will buy him a beer or three. We are not doing that this year despite our number of guys (5-6 at a time) because we know we will get there early and likely leave tents by mid day. Last year my one buddy and I stayed in the tent from noon to 7 but I do not recall what happened to me after that. lol. I know I woke up in my hotel.

If we stay past like 3-4pm then we have to employ this method we heard from zee Germans when I once asked a group of them how they lasted all day: "You drink zee first one und zee last one! Zat is how you stay here all day--hahaha!!"

If you leave then no, you cannot get anything to ensure you will get back to that table of people you were at, however if you are outgoing and friendly and memorable, if the others at your table are still there when you return, they may let you back on it, unless it filled in with more cool people which it likely will. We have done this however, when in a small group of say 2=3 people so it is possible.

But IMO, the way to stay is to get there early and stay, and pace your drinking, which is hard. Then leave when you know to pull yourself from it before falling apart. Or get lucky that if you leave and come back your table still lets you back in, or reserve one, which is hard to do now, unless you find a group that has a spot. We like to get there early so we can then see and do other things and somewhat sober up for the next day. If you do want to come at night you may get lucky (I recall once walking in with a friend and we found a whole empty table at 5pm in the hoffbrau on a fri night. Never happens. We grabbed it and it filled up with friendly revelers from all over zee world in minutes.

You can also go to the Oide Wiesn and likely find seats if you have a smaller group.

Note that for music, you will hear the classic German "oompah" stuff from about noon to about 5-6 in most tents. Then after that it switches to those same bands playing fun songs like John Denver's Country Road, Don't Stop Believing by Journey, and the like. It's a trip to hear these tunes played by this type of band and they are good, and the whole place gets into it, but the whole din changes and you need to be in high party mode by then to really get into it so yah, get there early and stay all day! That table we had left and came back to...'twas a bunch of American and Aussie girls who were planning to open and close the place for a bachelorette party. They pulled it off.

Time:
why drink early in the day as opposed to nacht? Well, for one, if you are flying in from the States, then you may be jetlagged and all messed up anyway. I bring those mini energy drinks and suffer one down and then yah I am ready. If you head to the tents in the morning of your first day, you will essentially plow through it and acclimate by attrition. By the time you leave the tent and pass out in your hotel, you will now awake on German time... At least I have. Next day you are fine.

Time is in a bubble there. Once in the tent it's like a casino. You cannot really tell what time it is, what day it is or what the weather is like outside (ps if it is bad weather, get there early because there's nothing else to do in Munich when it rains and is ugly outside so everyone else will go too. (After all, if it rains, then the weather is so pissy gray and depressing, and some say the region has been good only for two passtimes: war and beer, and fortunately we live in an era where the latter is prevailing). Point is, it doesn't matter what time it is... go have beers! You will get into the spirit regardless! It's like jumping in the ocean after a long flight to the Caribbean. Soon you are on island time! Let your lovin flow!