Grand Final Day in Munich(Oktoberfest)

Back at work after 4 weeks away is always a little difficult – so to get me back into the swing of things I am going to recount some parts of my holiday for you.

The first destination of my trip overseas was Munich. I don’t know whether I can actually claim that I’ve been there however I was there in body, not in mind & spent most waking hours at Oktoberfest, (claimed to be the biggest party in the world & I’m certainly not going to disagree with that). The Germans know how to throw a party.

So I travelled to the other side of the world to be inside a tent during the day and to sleep in a room with 40 other people, sharing with them 8 toilets, 8 showers & 6 basins. You could say I was a little out of my comfort zone. For the record we were paying 190 pounds (roughly $126 a night to stay in this luxurious place in Munich). To add to all this I am not a huge beer drinker and one stein alone carries 4 Australian pots.

The first night in Munich I got little sleep – trying to sleep with ear plugs, eye mask & a towel over your head isn’t the most comfortable way to sleep however I was trying anything possible without taking a sleeping tablet I was prescribed for the long flight to UK.

We were up at 3:45am woken by a fellow traveller, slipped into our Heidi outfits and walked the streets of Munich to find the one and only pub televising the Grand Final & LIVE. Left the Hostel by 4:15am arrived at the Ned Kelly Bar by 4:30am. It must be noted that I do not love football this much however it sure beat staying in the dorm listening to the fellow travellers come home from their boozy night out. By 5:30am there was a line of 150 people deep – the pub finally opened and our first beers were ordered at 5:32am. It was mind blowing to see sooo many fellow Aussies desperate to get a glimpse of the Grand Final.

It didn’t even have to be the AFL Grand Final, it could’ve been any other sporting event that Australians were involved in and a crowd would have been there in full voice. And for those Aussies that hadn’t been home for years or those who had been travelling for long periods of time or people like myself who had just arrived a week ago, at that pub we were miles from Australia yet when Jimmy Barnes played Khaysan we all felt at home. We are a very patriotic and passionate lot; a little mad at times however we love our country and its sport.

It’s not unlike the Anzac Day tradition at Anzac Cove. What has kept this tradition alive is the patriotic Australians travelling around the world.

However, when it comes to Australians buying real estate all this is thrown out the window. We let the media influence our thoughts, we let the RBA affect when we buy, and we let our head control us over our heart. Buying a house or as Darryl Kerrigan from the Castle claims “it’s not a house it’s a home” should always be bought when it feels right for you. When you are financially able, not when the Government wants you to (which is when they are usually handing out the grants), not when your parents want you to (when they are offering to contribute towards your home), it’s when you feel ready to make that sort of commitment & find the right home that’s suitable for you.

If Australians were only this passionate about buying the right property as they are towards their sport then no one would have any regrets. In the end if you buy when you want and when you find the right property for you – there should be no misgivings.

It’s those little moments like at Oktoberfest & the Ned Kelly Bar when you see everyone come together that makes you proud to be an Australian – let’s convert this passion to every aspect in our lives.