I was lucky enough to partake on the pub crawl for my first JCI event. Initially, with the forethought of alcohol on my mind, I asked myself, "How bad could it possibly be?" Sure, the risk of unintended shenanigans was high in my own regard, if I factored in my framework and the notorious Asian Flush... But this was about meeting new people, having a laugh and drinking with modesty.

Starting off at the Joseph Brammah in the town centre, a bunch of early birds gathered for a (relatively) early lunch, which was indeed a prudent decision; as everyone knows that food soaks up alcohol. I introduced myself and was obviously the new, shy guy, and although my memory does not serve me well at times, I remember being with Ben, Oli and Stan and their Star Trek discussion afterwards whilst on the way to the train station, where suddenly everyone else turned up!

A short journey later, we headed to the Station pub in Dodworth, where we had the first round of quizzes. Our team comprised of; Ben, Oli, Kirstie, Gemma, Scott and I, with the topic on music/ lyrics. Credit where credit's due: Ben steamrolled most of the round, which gave the rest of us a complacent back seat.

Time flies, as an hour later we arrived in sunny Dodworth at another Station pub, where the topic was on mottos/ slogans. I realised then how little I actually watch TV, and how redundant my quiz knowledge was for the rest of the night!

Although I do not recall much of the latter pubs before our leave to Huddersfield (Black Bull in Shepley, Clothiers Arms in Stocksmoor), I do remember that they were friendly and nicely situated, thus making them excellent choices for the pub crawl; there is an extent to how far drunkards will ‘crawl' before their vital signs need checking.Upon arriving in Huddersfield, we were greeted by an impressive display of the Food Festival stalls, ranging from different meats, ice cream, confectionery and alcohol. The town was busy and exciting, providing a memorable vibe for our last stop at the Head of Steam, which was adjacent to the station. Jam packed, our gathering still managed to secure seats and helped ourselves to a few local drinks, while being mortified by Stephen's quiz marking. Embarrassingly for me, my gradual lapse of capacity made me miss the train home twice, and spending six quid on a cup of whatwasthat at a fancy looking stall.

In hindsight, I had a lot of fun and enjoyed the night, having met many faces despite drinking quite a few! The fact that the people I met were friendly and genuine made the social pleasant; hence I look forward to the upcoming events and seeing everyone again. Thank you to everyone who made it successful and worthwhile!

By James Wong (new member)