Countdown to the Oktoberfest

What’s today? Well, apart from being a Monday? It’s the sixth day before the start of the Oktoberfest 2013.

That’s right, we’re on the home straight: only one more Monday in the office before on this Saturday 21^st September, at 12:00 in Munich (that’s 11:00 UK time), the cry of “Ozapft is!” is heard and suddenly, Munich is turned on its head.

Here’s what we’ll be doing in the coming Oktoberfest countdown days.

Tuesday. Tomorrow, we start by hanging up our long-stored dirndls and lederhosen so that the creases can iron themselves out. Speaking of ironing, the boys will be ironing their shirts – and the girls will be giving them their aprons to do. “Strike while the iron is hot” and all…

Wednesday. We’ll be taking that last little bit of exercise (jogging, swimming, gym) before, for two whole weeks, lifting tankards replaces weights and zumba dancing is superseded by dancingon benches. The boys will be doing those last few calf-curls to get their lederhosen legs in good order.

Thursday. It’s off to Munich on Thursday so that we have time to settle in: first, we by a ten-journey fold-up ticket for public transport and then we head to our favourite beer garden.

Friday. We hopefully won’t have stayed out all night on Thursday, giving us time to settle down and  start planning: where are we going to go when and with whom? After all, if you don’t get your strategy sorted, the Wiesn will be a washout. Who (if anyone) has got reservations and where? Which tent are we going to go to on which day, and how early do we have to get there to be in with a realistic chance of a table?

Saturday. Weißwürste for breakfast. Ozapft is. And off we go!