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Calling All Adventurous Women

In 2020 we’ve all spent a lifetime in our comfort zones. We’ve watched every series on Netflix (twice), consumed dangerous amounts of pizza and spent more time with our fellow quarantineers than ever recommended. Chances are you’re experiencing symptoms of Lockdown Syndrome and you’re relentlessly planning your adrenaline fuelled escape. If you’re a female wanting to catch a solo travel wave, we’ve got your back at the San Sebastian Surf House. Solo travel as a woman can sometimes be intimidating, everyone gets a few anxieties and beating them is part of the thrill. It’s time to take the plunge.

At some point in the Netflix void a hot girl Baywatch running down the beach, sun bleached hair and surfboard under arm would have popped up to taunt you. Let this inspire you but not put you off – we don’t look this good, ever. Getting on board with surfing is more adventure than posing and a lot more face planting and drowning than looking good, but that’s the real fun of it. Our female friendly Surf House is a safe space for first time travellers and surfers. Don’t be phased if you’re a bit nervous to put yourself out there, you just need the right place to touch down and the right people there to greet you. 

The San Sebastian Surf Camp Specialises In First Time Surfers

If you’ve never touched a board before but desperately WANT TO, well the pressure is off. We’re not here to judge or show you up, we just want to help you do your thing. If learning to surf, or even just ticking it off the bucket list is what you want, you’ve got to start somewhere. We’ve got super experienced surfers on board to show you the ropes and literally push you off into the waves (then pull you out if you need it!).

Did Someone Say FEMALE Surf Instructors?

Surfing has always been a male dominated sport, but this is changing, fast – it’s 2020 everybody. We’ve got some talented women on board, which for a lot of us self conscious souls is a massive breath of fresh air. Women understand women and surfing can be an emotional ride. There’s lots of new fears to overcome and challenges to face and we sometimes need a little push in the right direction. Female surf instructors are a great way to soothe your nerves and level with you if you’re struggling. Women’s surf is on the up and finding a group of surf sisters to weather the storm with is an essential part of the process. 

If you’re panicking about that bikini bod, don’t! No–one is here to judge you – or creep on you. We provide wetsuits for all shapes and sizes to avoid board rash so we all officially look as non–sexy as each other. Forget Cameron Diaz and Pamela Anderson, we’re talking more Power Rangers beach edition. ALSO future surf babes, take care of yourself whilst surfing!

Slap that zinc on your face and coconut oil in your hair to keep sun damage at bay.

Do you HAVE to Surf?

Quick answer: absolutely not, and you won’t be alone in this! The San Sebastian Surf House life is more of a lifestyle than a sport. Don’t be put off by nightmares of squeezing into wet suits and getting beaten up by waves. You might not even want to touch a surfboard – and that’s OK.  It’s just as fun lusting over beautiful surfers from the shoreline. Our ‘Beach Bum Deal’ takes off surf costs if it’s not your thing, so you won’t be paying for something you’re not using. We’ll even get the insta shot of you running towards the waves you never plan to enter with a surfboard you never plan to use if you like – no judgements here!

What’s the San Sebastian Surf Hostel vibe?

Female Only Dorms

Don’t want to share a dorm with a bunch of guys you only met yesterday? Totally understandable – you don’t have to. We have a female only option which is ideal if you want to roll around in your underwear in peace. Sorry boys but this luxury also means less snoring, less farting and less awkward nipple flashing encounters. Walking into a room full of guys can throw people off – our women only only dorms can be less intimidating. They’re also smaller and more intimate which gender regardless is an easier setting for integrating and a better night’s sleep.

Getting Some Down Time

If your kind of fun is reading your book, practising yoga or pondering the meaning of life with like minded souls – we’ve got you. We have yoga classes every day to relax your muscles 

after a surf and clear your mind after what could have been the most stressful year of our lives! We also have huge amounts of space and some of the best views around so if you’re ready for some down time you’ll find your spot. Our Surf House leads straight up the perfect mountain for morning exercise and solo hikes so you are literally at the foothills of adventure. 

‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’

Likewise if you’re looking to let loose in your free time, we’re on board and you definitely won’t be alone. We’re fully experienced party travellers so there’s always the option to drink some socially lubricating sangria, trade travel stories and unwind after a big day in the waves. We also take you into local towns for Pintxos and into San Seb for craft beers – if you don’t want to stop moving, we can keep up.

Bonus Good Vibes from Matilda  –  The Last Female Surfer Of The Season 

“I had the best time at the surf house. I loved learning to surf and being pushed outside my comfort zone. Everyone at the hostel was so friendly I immediately felt part of the group and very welcomed! I got to visit different Basque towns with the crew which was a real highlight as I got to see the bits I never would have known to visit alone. Overall it was a fab mix of fun activities, chill time, learning to surf and of course teaming up with awesome like-minded people.”

The San Sebastian Surf House is open for an extended summer season – from Easter until early October! Lock your spot in now for a measly €1. We sold out in 2020, and with the pandemic hopefully easing we’re sure we’ll do the same early on in 2021

 

The post Reasons Our San Sebastian Surf House Is A Safe Haven For Solo Female Travellers appeared first on Stoke Travel.

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2021 is our year, baby!

Man, hasn’t this pandemic just been a big mood spoiler? From all the people falling sick, the deaths, the economic disaster, the lockdowns and social distancing measures – it’s all been pretty horrible. 

And sometimes we need to just check ourselves and be thankful for our health. 

But also sometimes we need to get mad because in addition to the aforementioned COVID horrors, this virus has also taken away travel. Beautiful, gorgeous, enriching travel, meaning that not only have our plans been ruined in 2020, but also many of us lost money on non-refundable bookings, meaning that we might be shy about making more plans for 2021.

That’s where your drop-dead-gorgeous pals at Stoke step in. We’ve identified your anxieties around booking, felt your pain as many people lost money on trips that couldn’t operate, tried to do our best to work around our terms and conditions as travel plans changed for so many people. 

And we’ve made booking future trips as risk-free as possible, PLUS we’ve made dreaming about future escapades upon Europe’s cobbled stones more appealing by throwing down some of the spiciest early bird discounts in the business.
But this ain’t just another advertorial, it’s a practical piece of advice for all travellers all over the world who will hopefully eventually book with us. Shall we dive in? 

Pandemic Problem 1: we don’t know when we can travel again

We’ve really got no idea, not even here in Stoke Towers with our fingers firmly up the pulse’s butthole. But we do know it’s not now, and we also mostly know that it won’t likely be tomorrow. What we are sure of, though, is that sooner or later we’ll be travelling again, and for that we need to be prepared.
We’re planning on going ahead with our Andorra ski weekends from January, but as they’re operating in winter they’re the least likely of our trips to happen. That said, if we were operating them right now we’d be allowed to, and the goal is that things get better in the world after this round of curfews, lockdowns and other antiviral measures.
So we’re confident that they’ll go ahead. And if they do, then everything else should happen as we inch back towards a sense of travel normality.
So while we don’t know when we’ll travel again, we have to be confident that we will sooner rather than later, and make plans accordingly, giving us something to look forward as we go through more lockdowns and suffer from the advanced effects of “galavanting around the world” withdrawals. 

Pandemic Problem 2: heaps of us lost money on cancelled travel already

Yeah, this one sucks. So while we might be super confident about travel happening again, we’re not confident enough to throw down your hard-earned loot on some deposits, because who knows if you’ll just lose it all again.
It’s tough for travel companies, because we encourage you to make deposits and then use said deposits to pay our staff when we’re not running trips, and to pay for the things we need to run the trips. Hotels, sailing yachts, tents, cooking equipment, 100s of 1000s of litres of beer – all these things require us to book, and pay for, in advance.
But despite that, we can’t with good conscience ask you to put deposits down on trips in 2021. It’s just not clear if we’ll be running anything.
So we asked our booking system if you could do no deposit deposits. And the computer said no. So we asked the computer if we could do €1 bookings, and the computer said yes. 

So for one measly euro you can book any 2021 trip, and if the trip is cancelled for any reason we will just transfer your €1 deposit to different dates, or a different destination entirely. ALSO we won’t be asking you to pay any more deposit until it’s 110% certain that the trip is both going ahead, and that you can make it. It is basically a risk-free booking proposition. You can’t go wrong. Plus, it is also applicable for our mega super special deals.

Pandemic Problem 3: there’s no reason to book anything now, because nothing is selling out

As we say in this biz, there’s no booking pressure. Our trips usually do book out, at least on the busiest weekends, and people are sometimes forced to book different dates or with inferior travel companies (all of them), but this year that isn’t the case. There is no fear of fear of missing out, FOFOMO, because you know that nobody’s booking, that we’re desperate and that you can just cruise and wait to see if things get better before you take a chance on your €1 deposit.
BUT!
But that’s why we’ve put in place our most ambitious and generous early-bird booking system to date. We want to offer you some crazy deals, so that you might get to booking sooner rather than later. That way we can get a fair idea of how many people are interested in certain trips and dates, and we can plan accordingly.
So yeah, while we might not sell out in 2021 – at least not until right up to the trip dates – these prices do have expiries on them, both in terms of dates when the deals finish, and how many people we will allow to book at these prices. 

Early Bird Sail Croatia Specials

With a measly €1 deposit you can reserve a €500 berth on any of our 2021 Croatia sail trips. Our Croatia Sail trips that ensure that you have the most fun, with the best people, plucking the greatest parts out of the coastline and archipelago, in a way that doesn’t just treat you like another number. We go out of our way to make every Croatia sail the best ever, with our bottomless brunches onboard, open and unlimited beer and sangria bar, our legendary Wet Wednesday feasts in a traditional restaurant, and our guides and crew that know how to perfectly balance out the good times and the nice things.
On each boat the first six bookings are €500. After that they go up until the last six bookings that are €750. Seven nights, all the stops, air conditioned boat, water included, and so on, and so forth. Basically everything you expect from a Croatia sail trip, and then we’ve added things that we really like, or that can be annoying (like the bar tab) and what we’ve come up with is by far the best deal, and we are easily the most fun. Go and book your next, or first, Croatia sail here.  

HALF PRICE OKTOBERFEST and SPRINGFEST

The “Stoketoberfests” are easily our biggest and best events of the year, with the big gal in autumn attracting up to 8000 party animals to our campsite, where we get particularly down and overwhelmingly dirty as we celebrate drinking beer by the bucketload. Now these events do sell out, especially over the weekends, and many wannabe beer swillers find themselves enjoying the smaller crowds midweek. But again, this year is different and there’s uncertainty about whether the festivals will run – especially Springfest in April/May. That said, if anybody can pull off a festival it will be the Germans, and Springfest is mostly outdoors, so that follows in step with the COVID prevention advice coming from around the world.
So we’re quietly confident that Springfest will go ahead, and if it does then Oktoberfest is a certainty. We’re quietly confident, and also very hopeful, because we want to show our healthcare heroes a good time with free Springfest trips in 2021. For everybody else, we’re offering half price Oktoberfest and Springfest trips on our four-night packages.
Just go to checkout and use the promo code STOKETOBERFEST2021 and half price will be gifted to you like magic. 

Then all you have to do is start training for the beer fest, and get yourself over here for the event itself.
Lock half-price Springfest in, here. 
Or it’s October older sister here. 

Pandemic Problem 4: sure, Stoke is making it easy for us, but what about the other pieces required to make a travel puzzle? 

So yeah, your pals at Stoke are bending over backwards and sidewards and especially forwards while we try to get you travelling again in order to keep you happy. But what’s the good of a €1 reservation for Sail Croatia, or Surf Camp, or a half price Oktoberfest trip, if you can’t similarly lock in a flight with any kind of confidence?
Well we know that most if not all regional airlines in Europe are offering free date or name changes, so that’s all good if you’re over here (so you can lock in the mega super specials that these airlines like Ryanair and Vueling are sometimes able to do).
For the longer haul flights, there are some specials around, and most offer booking flexibility, but just double and triple check the terms and conditions before you fork out.
The way we see it, you could lock in some mega discounts with Stoke with only €1, and then sit on your long haul flights for a while – you can wait all the way up until a month in advance and still pay the same as you’d be paying now.
The short of it, unless they’re offering you some killer special, no need to lock in any flights until the world makes sense.
And right now Stoke is offering some killer deals.
You know what to do.
For all of our super flexible, uber generous COVID terms and conditions, dive over here and let’s start planning a 2021 that will make this year look like a distant, absolutely forgotten, memory.

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Si estás aquí, es porque amas el mar. No importa en qué nivel de surf te encuentres, o si nunca has puesto pie en una tabla, el surf tiene un encanto que nos llama a sumergirnos en el océano y a cabalgar las olas.

Por eso nos encanta traerte toda la información que necesitas para comenzar a surfear de manera segura y en los mejores puntos del país.

Como todos los años las playas reciben muchísimas personas que quieren empezar a montar las olas – y uno de esos puedes ser tú -, hoy te traemos 5 tips imprescindibles para aprender a surfear, de la mano de Watsay Surf School & Camp, una de las escuelas de surf más populares del país.

Toma lápiz y papel y continúa leyendo si quieres volver de vacaciones como todo un rey de las olas.

5 Consejos imprescindibles para aprender a hacer surf

1 . No empieces solo

Por muy entusiasmado que estés por aprender a surfear, recuerda nunca hacerlo por tu cuenta cuando estás empezando.

Intentar surfear solo cuando no tienes la suficiente experiencia es una receta para el desastre, ya que siempre existen riesgos de heridas o
calambres y sin que haya nadie para ayudarte.

Además, si no tienes experiencia surfeando, aprender todo por ti mismo te llevará bastante tiempo, aunque no es imposible.

Nuestro consejo aquí es que busques a alguien con mucha experiencia para que te enseñe los primeros pasos del surf, y que esté ahí para ti hasta que puedas defenderte solo frente al mar.

Si tienes algún amigo surfista, haz un plan de fin de semana con él o ella para comenzar a aprender lo básico.

Si estás en Cantabria, también puedes apuntarte a alguna clase particular o grupal de Watsay Surf School & Camp, o de alguna otra escuela de surf en donde estarás rodeado de personas con tu mismo nivel de experiencia y podrás aprender de los mejores expertos.

2 Consigue el equipo adecuado

Si crees que el surf solo se trata de tablas y olas, te sorprenderá saber que hay un par de cosas más detrás que te ayudarán a volverte un gran surfista.

Obviamente, lo más importante es la tabla.

Existen varios tipos de tablas que se adaptan a todas las necesidades y estilos, así que consigue una adecuada a tu experiencia, a tu tamaño, y a la altura de las olas que quieres montar.

Otra pieza importante que necesitas para aprender a surfear es un buen neopreno. Estos trajes de baño son especialmente creados para el surf y cumplen un montón de funciones esenciales, ayudarte a no deslizarte de tu tabla mientras pedaleas, hasta protegerte del sol.

Algunos detalles igual de imprescindibles para tu tabla son las quillas o fins, que sirven para estabilizar la tabla y mantener el equilibrio. También necesitarás un invento de surf (cuerda que sale de la tabla y atas a tu tobillo) para mantener la tabla unida a tu cuerpo en caso de que te caigas de ola.

3 Conoce tus playas

Un consejo muy valioso que podemos darte es que conozcas muy bien las aguas en las que vas a aprender a surfear.

Tal como surfear acompañado, familiarizarte con tus playas es una medida de seguridad que te ayudará a aprender de manera más fácil y con menos riesgo.

Siempre adapta el lugar en el que surfeas a tu experiencia. Hay playas que tienen zonas de olas bajas y medias y áreas con oleaje mucho más fuerte, mientras que otras solo tienen olas altas perfectas para los más avanzados.

Investiga sobre las mejores playas en tu zona para aprender a surfear, que tengan un oleaje mixto que se adapte a todos los niveles de aprendizaje.

Una playa ideal que cumple con toda estas características es la playa de Berria, en Santoña.

Esta es una de las mejores playas de España para aprender a surfear, con olas ideales para que perfecciones tu técnica durante todo el verano.

Otras playas ideales para aprender a surfear son las de Zarautz, la de Salinas, y la de El Palmar, así que ya tienes potencial destinos para tu próximo verano.

4 Mantente en forma

Una de las mucha cosas que nos encantan del surf es que puede practicarse sin importar tu edad o tu experiencia.

Sin embargo, sigue siendo un deporte, y el buen estado físico influye muchísimo en cómo experimentamos esta actividad.

Olvídate de si tienes un “cuerpo de bikini” o no.

Cómo nos sentimos es lo primordial a la hora de practicar un deporte como el surf, y para disfrutarlo como tiene que ser, es imprescindible que te alimentes de manera adecuada, que calientes tus músculos antes de meterte al al agua, y que construyas resistencia haciendo otras actividades físicas.

Ojo, no estamos diciendo que debas ser todo un atleta olímpico, solo que lleves un estilo de vida sano que te dará la energía necesaria para montar olas todo el día.

5 Vuelve a la escuela

El surf es una disciplina que nos lleva a uno de los principios más básicos: hay que caerse para aprender. Y aprendiendo a surfear nos vamos a caer muchas, pero muchas veces.

Es por esto que es esencial que te lo tomes con buen humor y con entusiasmo, porque al final del día, el surf es uno de los deportes más divertidos que existen.

Por eso recomendamos tanto recibir clases con un grupo completo de personas que están aprendiendo lo mismo que tú, con la enseñanza y supervisión de expertos con muchos años en el surf.

Y es esto exactamente lo que puedes conseguir en Watsay Surf School & Camp, un lugar completamente comprometido a enseñarte toda la filosofía surfista, en un ambiente increíble que tiene como prioridad la seguridad y la experiencia.

Para aprender a surfear con esta escuela solo tienes que elegir alguna de las modalidades de aprendizaje que te ofrecen. Puedes asistir a sus cursos, a sus clases diarias, y a sus campamentos, que están disponibles durante todo el año.

Si nunca has practicado surf y te interesa aprender, este es tu momento. Pasa un verano increíble en las aguas del Cantábrico, bajo el sol, sobre las olas, y conviértete en todo un pro del surf.

La entrada 5 Tips para Aprender a Surfear se publicó primero en Surfmocion.

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No. No you can’t, legally. Unless you count beer as a drug, in which case yes. Yes you most certainly can do the drug called beer and it’s friend Jagermeister at Oktoberfest. The problem with doing drugs at Oktoberfest is that you’re really really not allowed to. It’s super illegal to do drugs that aren’t beer in Germany, and they’re especially vigilant on patrolling the festival itself and all of the entry points for people with drugs; there are random sniffer dog stops, they can do a piss test on you whenever they want to, and if you’re caught with drugs in your system the German polizei will give you a hard time, a big-ass fine, and you’ll stay on their druggo database so they can harass you for the foreseeable future. 

None of this is very desirable. 

That said, sometimes people want to do drugs at Oktoberfest. We say, No you shouldn’t, and they say, Well eff you, I’m going to do it anyway. And you know why that is? Because Oktoberfest is on planet earth, and it’s a really good time, and when people are having a really good time on planet earth sometimes they’re going to do drugs. What we’re saying is, it’s kind of inevitable. 

So, look. We’re going to write a guide about not doing drugs at Oktoberfest, because you most certainly should not do drugs at Oktoberfest, and if you decide to ignore our advice and do them anyway, well that my fine little friendling is entirely up to you. 

Alrighty, let’s dance. 

Can you smoke cigarettes at Oktoberfest?

Yes, but you shouldn’t. Remember a time when ciggies were the wafting beacon of a sexy maverick, someone who plays by their own rules and has the conquests to prove it? No more! Now durrie munching makes you smell like the carpet in your bachelor great uncle’s sitting room cum bedroom cum kitchen (use of cum intentional). Smoking kills, smoking stinks and smoking is expensive. BUT when we’re hammered we smoke, and at Oktoberfest we’re almost always hammered, so yeah you can smoke outside the beer halls, and you will. 

BEWARE: smoking when you’re on the other side of the shitfaced threshold will give you seasickness and that could be morbid in a crowded, hectic, already heaving place like Oktoberfest. 

COST: pack of darts, €6.

Can you drink alcohol at Oktoberfest?

Der. While most of life’s celebrations include alcohol, this is one that is explicitly and shamelessly based around it. They serve seven million litres of beer at Oktoberfest (for seven million mouths, which is nothing compared to the 60,000 litres we serve to our 8,000 or so guests at our Stoketoberfest open bar), plus wine to the weirdos who can’t just stop being so sophisticate’ while they’re at the world’s biggest beer festival. People generally drink about three-four litres of beer in the beer halls, which makes the sevel-mil for seven-mil stat so weird, but anyway. People drink their beer, they drink other people’s beer, we’ve even seen them drink beer-laced vomit and steins of piss, so yeah you can imagine how much beer is being consumed here. It’s so wild that in a nation so anti-drug that this wanton piss up not only happens, but is replicated on an almost daily basis in beer gardens and restaurants and homes and petrol stations around the country. You can also drink Jagermeister and other shots, and some of the little bars outside the beer halls even serve harder shit, because yeah sure you totally need that. 

BEWARE: if you’re in the beer halls for the morning session the security guards will use your inebriation as an excuse to eject you. This is less because they have a problem with intoxicated people – it’s literally the spine of their event – and more because they’ve done the math and you’re not able to physically drink any more and they want to free up some space for the thirsty afternoon arrivals. 

COST: about 12 bucks

Can you smoke weed at Oktoberfest?

Why would you want to? Why would you want to lower your energy, increase your paranoia, and increase your appetite in what might be the most expensive food court in Europe? Plus, every time we’ve ever smoked weed after drinking we’ve ended up feeling like we’re floating in a dingy during a North Sea storm; it’s a surefire way to green out. BUT we get it that some of you modern-day Bob Marlettes like a bit of wacky tabbacky to go with your festivities, and so you might want to blaze up in the beer halls. But you can’t! It is still illegal in Germany to smoke the devils’ lettuce and you will get harassed by the cops. That said, having a small amount on you isn’t enough to be prosecuted, so if you can’t last a few days without your sticky icky icky make sure you don’t carry around a trafficable quantity, let’s say less than six grams.

BEWARE: just because you won’t be prosecuted for having a small amount doesn’t mean the sniffer dogs won’t go for you, to po-po won’t stop you, piss test you, detain you a while, confiscate your weed, maybe fine you, etc. If you need to smoke, just wait until you’re back at the campsite. 

COST: honestly not a lot, until those munchies kick in.  

Can you take pills at Oktoberfest?

If they’re prescription, yes you can. But there aren’t many prescription pills that you can confidently take while drinking copious amounts of alcohol. We’re not doctors, but we heard from one, or someone who had spoken to someone who had spoken to a doctor, that the reason why you shouldn’t drink when you take antibiotics isn’t because it’s dangerous, but because the booze lowers the efficacy of the drugs and ruins the full course. But yeah, if it’s safe to take your pills when drinking then you can totally take them, unless you’re talking about those other types of pills, which you most definitely cannot take at Oktoberfest, but geez louise they’d be fun! 

BEWARE: while there’s quite the pill culture in Berlin’s techno clubs, and you’re less likely to be stopped and searched, or punished coming out of the Berghain, Munich in general, and Oktoberfest in particular, is a different story. This is billed as a family event, despite the copious amounts of booze consumed, and so drug laws are applied to the letter. Taking half a pill and dancing on tables sounds like a swell idea, but it comes with great risks and maybe even greater consequences. 

COST: really no idea, we don’t think pills cost much in general. Maybe more because it’s Oktoberfest.

Can you do coke at Oktoberfest? 

Despite the videos you’ve seen of people doing cocaine at Oktoberfest, you can’t do cocaine at Oktoberfest. The white powder people are snorting off the backs of their hands, or off the beer tables, is Wiesen Kok, which translates to Wiesen (the Oktoberfest fairgrounds) coke. It’s little more than sugar with a little menthol flavour, or something, and really does nothing more than clear your nose maybe. So yeah, while you may see a bunch of videos of what seems like revellers racking up with impunity, they’re just playing coke head, not actually being one. Now, cocaine, the real stuff, is illegal and even if you did it a few days before, if it shows in your peepee test you’re in big trouble. So while it might be just what you need to sober up a bit and talk someone’s ear off, it can land you in big trouble.
BEWARE: we can’t help but think, though, that the proliferation of fake coke presents an opportunity to put the real deal in Weisen Kok bottles and do beer-hall bumps with impunity… but as everyone generally shares the fake stuff, just be prepared for a local granny to ask you for a line.
COST: more than Spain, less than Australia. 

Can you do LSD or take shrooms at Oktoberfest?

Really couldn’t think of anywhere worse to be tripping. Seriously. It’s such an intense environment, with all the people vibrating at super drunk frequencies and bumping into you and getting in your face, and then there’s the law that puts LSD on the same level as heroin in Germany, meaning that if you’re tripping out hard and losing your shit you would probably be too scared to tell the authorities what’s up and that would make it infinitely worse. If you are a confident mind-bender then you can do what a friend of ours allegedly did: put a droplet of LSD in the bottom corner of certain pages of the book he was reading. Then when he wanted to get high he’d just cut out the corner of page 36 and away he’d fly. 

BEWARE: hallucinogens need to be treated differently to party drugs. They can really mess with your upstairs mix-up. 

COST: potentially your sanity.  

Can you do meth or speed at Oktoberfest? 

We’ve seen some people who would probably benefit from this, but again no you cannot, because you just can’t. While it is the drug of choice for many of Germany’s clubbers, there’s no point taking amphetamines at Oktoberfest because it’s not an all-night deal. If you’re not on your way home by midnight you’re going to be in those big old fairgrounds all alone. Doing speed or meth at Oktoberfest would just crank your pestiness up to unneeded levels, both in the beer halls and then back at the campsite when everyone is trying to sleep. Anyways, meth should really be on your list of never-do drugs, no good has ever come from being a meth head except for those wonderful Facebook rants that the methin’ around crew go on sometimes. Man, they’re so horny. 

Can you do heroin at Oktoberfest?

What? Why would you want to? What is this? No you can’t do heroin at Oktoberfest. Jesus some people. 

And there you have it, all the drugs you can’t do at Oktoberfest. Normally we’d say enjoy, but you shouldn’t enjoy any of these except for beer, and even then in moderation. Really excessive moderation. Also, stay at our Oktoberfest campsite for an all-inclusive experience, the best parties outside the beer halls, and an open bar.

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We know what you’re thinking, you’re thinking that we’re just going to say, Camping with Stoke Travel at Oktoberfest is the best budget option, and you’re right, we could say that, because it IS  the best option, as written about by multiple independent bloggers like this gal, and this guy and, and over here too, and not to forget about these guys.

But we’re going to assume that you already know that Stoketoberfest is your best value accommodation option at Munich’s Oktoberfest. We’re going to  move along from that, and show you ways to save your hard-earned euros/pounds/dollars/pesos/baht/rupiah/whatever when you’re on the ground in Munich. These tips are good to go even if you’re not staying with Stoke, in fact, if you’re not staying with Stoke you might need them more because you’re obviously paying WAY TOO MUCH.
Anyway, here we go. P-to the-motherflipping-prost!

Dressing for Oktoberfest on a budget

Whet your whistle over here for our full guide to dressing for Oktoberfest.

OK, look while you can wear your civilian rags into the beer halls, that in no way means that you should. One of the great delights of Oktoberfest is to hit those beer halls dressed like a Bavarian beer-swilling legend! Almost everyone else is dressed in the trachten and you’ll feel like a prize pumpkin if you’re the only one wearing dickies and Limp Bizkit tee. 

So while Stoke Travel sells authentic and cheap Oktoberfest costumes for guys and girls, we’re obviously not here to tell you about how awesome we are! We’re here to tell you that you can look the part just by throwing on one of the chequered-table-cloth style Oktoberfest shirts, for both girls and guys and forgoe the expensive leather pants and braces for guys, or the entire milkmaids’ dress for the gals. 

Yeah, going all out and wearing the whole kit is a bunch of fun, but if you’re stretched for cash just throw an Oktoberfest shirt (you could go with anything chequered/plaid/flannel, but they’re cheap cheap so fork out on this) over some jeans, jean shorts, Daisy Dukes, chinos, cargos, a skirt – whatever! And you’ll fully look the part. 

If you’re not feeling too tight, accessorise up with hats and pins and whatever and nobody will even notice that you’re not fully playing the part, and before you know it you’ll be dancing on tabletops with a bunch of Bavarian beefcakes and betties. What a result!

Oktoberfest beer halls on a budget

Dip your proboscis in here for a full guide to drinking beer in Oktoberfest beer halls.

One thing that’s unavoidable, no matter how tight your wad is, is that you will spend a small fortune in the beer halls. You just will, it’s one of life’s truths like dodging death and taxes. But DW, going to Oktoberfest to spend money on beer is precisely what you signed up for. If you haven’t put a king’s ransom into your budget for Oktoberfest beers then why are you even here. But, that said, there are some ways we can save money in the beer halls, and they are so important that we’re going to listicle them.

1. Pre-drink
   If you’re staying with Stoke you would have smashed the open bar all morning, so you’re good to go. Don’t be afraid of grabbing some roadies, just hide them when the po-po is around, and even stop off at the convenience store, or even the bar/beer garden on the way in. You’ll be forced to dump your vessel at the Oktoberfest entry, but never fear because there are plenty of non-beer-hall bars inside the fairgrounds and they are well cheaper than the beer halls. Pre-party like a champ, but don’t fuck it up because the main event is inside. 
2. Respect the beer, respect the system
   Surviving Oktoberfest is an artform. Make sure you don’t pregame too much, because the beers are strong like bull and delicious like bull. That’s good because after like your third or fourth beer in there you’re already in the spirit realm so you can’t spend too much… lies! Of course you can, because like any journey into the spirit realm any fiscal prudence is out the door and replaced with a frivolous need for ridiculous items like rollercoaster rides, cool hats and daring people €20 to drink their own vomit (they do it surprisingly often). ONE THING that we have to say is don’t scrimp on the tip. You have to tip the beer maid every beer, just to be a good supportive human, and to make sure that your wonderful beerfrau comes back to you when you need her most*
   *Sorry about the antiquated gendered language, there are beer bros in there, but the ladies are just the best at serving beers. 
3. Slip a Jaeger in your pocket
   You can buy little shots in there to give your sesh a much-needed shot in the arm, but they’re going to cost you as well, when you can just pick up some little bot-bots of petrol station Jaeger and store them away in your pockets, so then when you’re feeling a little too sober (never) you can boost your situation with a quick throwback of the magic elixir. Jaeger is German, Oktoberfest is German, you’re feeling über German, you kind of have to do it. 
4. Don’t do drugs!
   We know that in many parts of the world a sneaky pill or bump might be a way to drink less and enjoy more, but in Germany the penalties for drug use are big time, there are sniffer dogs all over, piss tests at the ready, and if you come up positive you’ll be in the system for life (meaning that every time they stop you, they’ll test you – how annoying!). That said, it is kind of the perfect place to be hiiiiiiiiiigh, so if you’re a brave party monster then maybe go for it, but it’s all up to you. We said NO.

Oktoberfest food on a budget

Here are five things that you just have to eat at Oktoberfest

One of the finer things in Oktoberfest life is the ability to devour, without concern for calorie or keto, the perfectly-paired beer drinking foods that come served alongside the beer. For the locals, and the visitors in-the-know, Oktoberfest is as much a food festival as it is an excuse to pickle your insides in amber ale. Pork knuckles, roast chicken, all the wurst, pretzels – even trout and radishes – are just some of the culinary delights that await is inside those hallowed halls. But boy-oh-boy are they expensive, and if you’re doing Oktoberfest right you might not even enjoy them, as you shovel the food into your sloppily masticating jowls like a St Bernard eating a valium hamburger. 

The real pros put a meal aside, usually a pre-hall lunch, and visit one of Munich’s many permanent beer halls or beer gardens. In these year-round pleasure domes you’ll find the same beers and the same food at a much lower price, and yeah, sure, you’ll take a hit on Oktoberfest’s ambience for a more sit down vibe, but these Bavarian temples to indulgence are not by any means tame – think oompah bands, large groups of raucous locals belting out folk tunes at the top of their lungs, it’s more like being in a medieval wedding than a French bistro. And they’re everywhere, so you can get your Bavarian food fix on your way to the beer halls and then push yourself to the brink of throwing it all up again in the actual Oktoberfest. Win win! 

Just look at how many breweries, beer gardens and beer halls a quick Google search turns up in central Munich alone! 

Seeing Munich on a budget

Strap on your sightseeing boots before you head out to see these Munich hotspots

OK, this is the ultimate activity to tightwads for there aren’t many sights to see that are going to charge you – in fact the whole act of “seeing” implies doing it for free. How they gonna charge you for seeing? “Just looking” is the universal secret password for “I don’t intend on spending a gosh-darn cent”. The beauty of Munich is that once you get downtown, and we didn’t say this, but we’ve heard that many people ride Munich’s rail system without a ticket, you can walk around all day, see the most beautiful and wonderful buildings and people, lounge around in a park where people are surfing in a river surrounded by naked old people, drink store-bought beer in said park, stroll around some more, fall in love 800 times, and it ain’t going to cost you a deutschmark. 

Get off at Hauptbahnhof and just walk – you can’t go wrong and you won’t spend a cent.   

Getting to and away from Oktoberfest on a budget

Here’s our complete guide on how to travel to Oktoberfest. You don’t need much more than that, just know that as far as a rule of thumb is concerned slower equals cheaper. Here’s a list in ascending order of expense: walking; hitchhiking; rideshare; public bus; private Stoke bus; hire a car; train; airplane; helicopter. Do with that what you will. 

And there you have it! Follow this little guide and get yo’self the most bang for your meagre buck at Munich’s Oktoberfest. And yeah, the easiest way to save the most money is to do an all-inclusive stay with us at our Stoketoberfest party camp, where you’ll find an open and unlimited beer and sangria bar for only an extra €10 a day!

 

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But that doesn’t mean they have to be boring! Let’s conquer COVID and protect our communities with Stoke Threads party masks, while showing the world that no matter how messed up the world is, we still love to get down. 

Of course it’s right to wear a mask in the face of the novel coronavirus, that vicious and heartless virus known as SARS-CoV-2, the ‘Roni, “not MY k-k-k-corona, Ron Johnson and results in the dreadful COVID-19 disease. Stoke Travel is based in Barcelona, Spain. We have lived through the worst lockdowns, have friends who have caught it and had a tough time beating the bastardo, and know neighbours and friends who have lost family members. We joke about everything, even Karen-ona, but that by no means means that we think it’s anything but serious.
It’s serious, it’s deadly, and it ain’t going to stop until we find a vaccine. And by “we” we mean “them” or “you” the scientists  working on developing the serum that’s going to stop this bugger in its tracks before it overtakes the world.

In the meantime we’ve got to do what we can to slow the roll of the Rone Ranger and one thing that medical professionals keep on recommending is that we wear a MASK. So of course we do, we wear masks (because in Barcelona you’ll cop a €100 fine if you don’t and because it’s the right thing to do). We wear masks indoors and outdoors (but when there’s no one around we’ll poke a cheeky nose out) and we wear masks at all times except when we’re eating and drinking, which is pretty often for your fat bois at Stoke, but that’s just how it goes.

So we’ve made a range of party masks based off our famous Stoke Threads party shirts. They’re fun, they’re flirty, they’re double ply with the option to slide in a filter too. They save the world while simultaneously telling the world that you’re still down for the good times. Wearing a party mask is like making a statement to the universe that alls you’re doing is biding your time for this pesky virus to pass before you get out there travelling and partying and just generally doing all the things we used to do and wanted to do before 2020 came along and sharted all over our plans.

We’ll be selling our Stoke Threads party masks at our Barceloneta store (where you can find party shirts, kimonos, beachwear, fun things, free beer, oh my!), at the San Sebastian Surf House, on the Barcelona Boat Party, and via our online store.

We’ve got to do the right thing through this unprecedented pandemic, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t let our inner party freak fly. Get a Stoke Threads party mask and let the good times rip!

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Nace un nuevo proyecto para los amantes del surf, el primer marketplace de viajes especializado en deportes acuáticos a nivel mundial

¿Tienes planes este verano? Puede que este año sea un poco especial, pero seguro que eso no te impedirá realizar un surftrip a un nuevo destino. Si todavía no tienes nada planeado entonces puede que esta nueva web te sea útil, Aquaexplorer.

Lo mejor de todo es que puedes encontrar no solo oferta nacional, sino también toda la oferta de surfcamps o cursos de buceo internacionales.

Incluso si este año prefieres quedarte cerca de casa, Aquaxplorer te puede ayudar a encontrar tu destino o tu curso de surf para estos meses estivales, ya que como dice el fundador de esta iniciativa: La oferta esta centrada en el territorio nacional por la COVID-19 esta temporada.

Esta temporada, por la coyuntura actual provocada por la COVID-19, la plataforma se centrará en promocionar y dar a conocer los mejores destinos de la península y las Islas Canarias para practicar estos deportes acuáticos con el fin de impulsar el turismo local y nacional, aunque se pueden ver también los destinos internacionales más demandados.

En este marketplace podrás encontrar alojamientos, barcos, surf camps, kite camps y escuelas de surf, kite surf, diving y SUP. 

Como comenta Haya, su fundador:

“Aquaxplorer es la mejor aliada para organizar una escapada o las próximas vacaciones tanto si prefieres ir por tu cuenta como con un viaje programado”

Quién está detrás del proyecto

Detrás de este proyecto se encuentra la agencia de viaje Tu viaje de Surf (empresa que conozco personalmente ya que me fui con ellos a mi viaje a Maldivas), una empresa con un profesional del surf y de los viajes con más de 20 años de experiencia.

“Miles de viajeros de todo el mundo han viajado y siguen bailando con las olas más espectaculares del planeta a través de nuestra agencia de viajes, Tu viaje de surf, proyecto en el que unimos nuestras dos pasiones: descubrir nuevos lugares y culturas y disfrutar practicando deportes acuáticos”, expone el responsable. 

Realmente los amantes de los deportes acuáticos necesitaban una plataforma que facilitase los viajes de aventura.

Anímate a probarla y cuéntanos en los comentarios tu experiencia.

La entrada La web que te ayuda a planear tu viaje de surf, Aquaxplorer se publicó primero en Surfmocion.

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There was no chance that the 2020 Barcelona Boat Parties would be the same as previous years. 100s of people on each boat, partying, dancing, drinking; 1000s of partiers joining us over the course of a summer, coming from all over the world. As we’re slowly coming out of lockdowns, when most of us weren’t physically with people outside of our households for months, imagining going back to these hedonistic, floating festivals, just didn’t seem feasible. 

But as restrictions lift in Spain, it’s becoming more clear that we’re going to be having some kind of a boat party in 2020. Here’s what you can expect. 

Barcelona Boat Parties In Phase Two

Phase two of restrictions should come into effect from the 8th of June. This is when our boat parties can begin. 

Private Boat Parties For Barcelona Province Residents

We’ll be taking bookings for completely private groups of locals (because during phase two nobody else can travel here). These can be groups of friends, workmates, whatever, and we’ll be running two capacities. The smaller boat can be chartered for up to 10 people, while the biggest boat is for groups of 50-100 people. Get your groups together, and get out on the Med. The sun, salt air, seawater, the motion of the ocean – it’s all going to do you better than good, it’s going to do you great. 

Barcelona Boat Parties For The Rest Of Summer 2020

Starting from July Spain will reopen for tourists and when that happens the Barcelona new normal will begin in earnest. We’ll be able to open up boat parties to the public, meaning that you don’t have to have 10, or 50-100 friends to get on a boat, but can book it alone, in pairs, or in smaller groups and then join big groups of strangers-about-to-become-friends onboard. We’ll be running a longer season than usual this year, too, and will make sure to overcompensate for the lost parties by throwing even better events once we’re finally allowed out of the port. 

New Boat Party Rules For 2020

Reduced capacity: we’ll likely only be allowed to have 100 people onboard, which isn’t a small group, but does represent a reduced capacity. This means that most cruises will be sellouts.

Increased hygiene: like everywhere on land, we’ll ensure that all staff are gloved and masked, that hand sanitizer is readily available, and that there’s plenty of space for people to social distance. 

Masks: masks won’t be required onboard, because of the open air nature of the boat, but will be available for you if you forgot to bring your own. 

We’re almost ready to set sail. Are you ready to jump onboard for a same-same but different type of Barcelona Boat Party? €1 bookings for the time being. Post-lockdown parties ahoy!

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For a guide on how to get to Oktoberfest from within Munich, you’re going to want to read this.

Getting to Oktoberfest is easy from anywhere in Europe. Munich has been a transport hub for as long as Europeans have been travelling, and all roads, rails and flight paths go through here.

The first step to travelling to Oktoberfest is deciding when you want to go (answer: it’s always epic). The next is determining where you’ll be arriving from – if it’s from your home, that’s an easy decision, but if you’ll be travelling in the lead up to arriving in Munich, you might not know exactly where will be your departure point; if you’re travelling right, you might not know your departure point until the day of. The third consideration, and perhaps the most important, is how much you value your time. Will you be willing to save some money on your arrival by spending a bit more time on the road? Whatever your situation may be, this guide to travelling to Oktoberfest will help you get there and get into some tasty German beers. 

Travelling to Oktoberfest by plane

Flying to Munich is by far the quickest way to arrive at Oktoberfest, and if you plan your travel early enough it could also be one of the cheaper options. Unfortunately for most of us, we’re a little bit slack with our travel plans, and often end up getting stuck with hefty, last-minute airfares. Nevertheless, we recommend scoping out flight aggregating websites, like Skyscanner, or using Google Flights, for flights from the lower cost airlines, or even with Lufthansa, which will allow you a little extra space, and a snack! From Munich airport you can ride the train straight into the city centre and the beer halls directly, or follow our directions to get to the Stoketoberfest campsite. Alternatively you could fly into Memmingen, or another airport near Munich, but we’d only recommend that if you were desperate. For a full guide on booking cheap flights in Europe, you should check this out. 

Travelling to Oktoberfest by train

Train travel within Europe and to Munich for Oktoberfest comes in second to airline travel for convenience – sometimes even beating flying when you factor in that trains stop in the city centre and you don’t have to negotiate airport connections. That said, you’ll be paying a premium price for train tickets, too, especially if you’re booking last minute. The German rail system is very well connected with the rest of Europe, and you can book tickets and find timetables for Europe-wide train travel at the D-Bahn website. Alternatively, if you’re travelling around the continent for a spell and want to really get to know the railways, you should look into a Eurail Pass, if you’re not a European resident, or an Interrail Pass if you are. For more information, we’ve also done a deep dive into cheap train travel across Europe, and whether a Eurail Pass is worth it.

Travelling to Oktoberfest by bus

So this is going to take a little longer. Getting to Munich from anywhere outside of Germany – and most places inside of Germany – by bus can take a while. Buses travel slower than trains, don’t have routes that are as direct, and despite there being no official borders in Europe, sometimes buses will get stopped for passport checks and other searches. That said, bus travel is almost always cheap, and not so reliant on early booking. And, really, watching the world roll by from outside your bus window, reading a book, watching a movie, chatting, having some drinks, are not the worst ways to spend a few hours. FlixBus offers services from all over Europe to Munich, many without connections, and services like Omio can compare all different bus companies and deliver you the best price. Also, if you’re travelling from most of Europe you can link up with one of Stoke Travel’s own buses, and package up your stay with your travel. For a full guide on European bus travel, we’ve gone and done all the research for you. 

Travelling to Oktoberfest by car

Yes, you can most certainly drive to Oktoberfest, either in your own car or a car you’ve hired. The German autobahn system is epic, you can drive really, really fast, and despite the high velocity travel and petrol stations that sell beer, the experience is an overwhelmingly safe one. Some things you’ll have to consider, include parking when you get to Munich – you’re going to have to leave your car where you stay, because there’s no way you’re getting it near to Oktoberfest – and driving home the morning after when you’re definitely, most likely, almost certainly still over the limit. We have parking at our Stoketoberfest campsite, and if you’re travelling Europe in a van or camper-car/motorhome set up, we have space for you too. For a full guide to driving in Europe as a backpacker, guess what, we got you. 

Travelling to Oktoberfest by hitchhiking

Hmmm, yeah. You can. If you have to. If you like to. But, well, it could be weird, with all the language barriers and so on, and maybe not the safest safest. But if you’re already considering hitchhiking then you probably won’t be reading this for advice. We touch on it in this general guide to travelling around Europe.

Travelling to Oktoberfest by walking

This is for the real legends, the true travellers, the hectic slow movers who don’t care about how long it takes them and how stinky they are when they arrive. Europe is amazingly crisscrossed with well-marked hiking trails, that will take you through villages and over mountain passes. You could even hike to Munich across the Alps, if you really want to earn your beer when you arrive. We’ll let you do the research, crazy walkers, but generally in Europe you can just start walking in the direction you want to go. Find where Munich is, and take that first step!

Travelling from anywhere in Munich to the Stoketoberfest campsite

Once in Munich it’s a breeze to get to the Stoke Travel campsite and all the Stoketoberfest joys that lie within. Simply follow the easy instructions we’ve put together for you here.

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