As Oktoberfest festivities wrap-up in Germany (and begin in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, which used to be known as Berlin), the New Zealand Herald reports that a group of Kiwis traveling around Europe have appalled the locals in Munich by participating in a drinking game that involves drinking urine and vomit as a penalty. The travel group, known as Van Tour, has been described by participants as a three-month unorganised drinking trip around Europe which involves visiting bars every night with a bit of sightseeing thrown in during the day. Culminating, ironically (and messily), at Oktoberfest.

The Kiwis’ behaviour, which disgusted some Germans, was performed by a group called the 100 Club.

About 40 people, both men and women, took part in 100 Club at Oktoberfest. Each had to drink a 35ml shot of beer every minute for 100 minutes. They weren’t allowed to wear underwear or have toilet breaks.

If a player vomits or urinates they have to drink it, or get someone else to, through a funnel or muddy gumboot.

According to participant Tim Russell, of Napier (that’s in New Zealand) "Feces are not allowed as you can get really sick from it … rumour has it someone got TB from it few years back. Other bodily fluids such as blood are also not allowed."

I’ve attended the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest a couple of times and it was pretty tame next to what folks have told me about the German originator. Although I’ve never been there with a Kiwi.

While I’m glad that the 100 Club has removed feces from their list of consumables, participants are still susceptable to a whole bunch of other infectious diseases and it’s not all that likely that they’ve reduced TB risks all that much (as TB is primarily a respiratory disease). Don’t eat poop; don’t drink vomit (unless you want to catch something).