After my first visit to the Oktoberfest, I’ve come to the conclusion that the world outside Germany breaks down neatly into two categories: those who have been, and those who haven’t. Those who haven’t might still think that Germans are all organisation, regularity and curtness. Those who have know that Germany is indeed organised and regular – but also exceptionally friendly. In other words, they are already kind of in on the secret of why I like living here.

So what is it about the Oktoberfest that is so great? Well, I’m not one for worrying about my reputation, so I’ll happily tell you straight down the line that the drinking is superb. The beer is strong, delicious and comes served in litre glasses termed Maßkrüge: with that as a starting point, what’s not to like?