MUNICH

So after a great last night in Vienna (with plenty of ´yoghurt wine´ and her graduation champagne!) we left for Munich. Another long drive - and we got stuck right up at the back - but we got to stop off in Salzburg, pretend we were part of the Von Trap family and then continue on our way into DEUTSCHLAND!

So after the minor drama of not having somewhere to couchsurf I phoned ´The Tent´ in my best German lingo and asked if they could squeeze us in...so on the map it didn´t look TOO far from the drop-off ponit...how wrong we were! We walked in the sweltering heat alla backpacks for just over AN HOUR AND A HALF! But, when we arrived we realised it was completely worth it. The lady handed us 3 thick blankets (which I was sure i wouldnt need any of) and pointed out our Boudouir - a massive white tent that housed 80 bunk beds! (we thought we´d treat ourselves rather than be on the floor like refugees in the one next door). We found a spot and got settled and spent the evening eating ´Lazy Sunday Stew´, laying around on massive hammocks chatting and sitting around a big fire meeting new friends (lots from Dublin?!). Oh and we learnt how to play ´Beer Pong´ by the American dudes.

Thank god for those blankets! When nightime properly hit, it was freeeeeeezing! oh and the earplugs were invaluable!

We realised it was incredibly easy to get into the town centre on the tram (arrghhhhh if only we´d done that the day before) and before we knew it, were walking aorund the city excited! It has the best vibe and suprisingly the nicest people so far! We walked everywhere, saw loads of street musicians, gorgeous gardens and buildings and ate and drank as the Germans do. The Englisher Garten was a highlight - like Hyde Park but with a big river all the way down the centre, hundereds of people sunbathing (many elderly locals, nude) and riding their bikes. After stripping off (in bikinis may I add) we worshiped the sun for a while and then I decided to brave the river. It was ICE COLD (mum would have loved it!) and the current was so strong, making it fun to float down (like on of those lazy rivers at waterparks) but hard to stop yourself and climb back onto the bank!

The evening was spent laying on the grass listening to music at Königplatz, where they were setting up for a big outdoor Cinema (which we would have stayed for, but it was going to be played in German). So after getting chucked out so that they could start letting the punters in, we found a lovely Beer Garden and sat in our deck chairs with the locals for hours watching the world go by. Oh and for me it was spend trying to sort out the bloody combination on my padlock! (it somehow managed to change number back at the tent, luckily not on the locker though) So i went through EVERY number - 000, 001, 002...until FINALLY it opened on blimin´ 851!

After another nice night back at the ranch (which we recommend to anyone and the facilities are SO good for a campsite, inc HOT SHOWERS and really clean toliets!) we got to bed and then the heavens opened, but i loved laying there listening to the rain on the side of the tent...

Today we´ve been over to the Olympic Park (where the Munich Olympics were held in 1972). We sat in the stadium, saw the swimming pool, wandered around the athletes village and then rowed (like the Olympic standard sportswomen that we are) along the river through the centre.

The BMW centre was right next to the complex, so we popped in there to. The architecture was stunning and if we had a few bob, we could have picked ourselves out a few cars to take back...

So now im sitting in a little Internet Cafe with Scal - just had the nicest and cheapest coffee and pizza type bread thing (obviously have eaten plenty of cakes too over the last few days!) and we´re just checking our stuff out for the next stop.

So roll on ITALY - first stop Vennice. ooooh la la. chow bella.

But MUNICH - im gonna throw it out there that it´s been my favourite place so far. Well, completely incomparible with Vienna, but such great things to do and really really lovely people. And so green everwhere. And good beer. obviously.