After a fairly quiet 12PC07 I think we were all expecting this year to be a small event. We were wrong and there was a great turn out of over 30 people! Luckily there were a few people driving and there was room for us on all of the buses. This year, after a long stint, Steve stepped down from T-shirt duties and Moggy took over the mantle. They looked great and we even had a map this year - good job!

The morning started with most of us stumbling around trying to find the new bus station. Luckily I wasn't in charge as I was off to the old abbatoir. After some emergency bacon rolls we were off. In the White Horse Moggy and Cookie split us into teams (each with associated colour). The idea was that we'd have challenges in each pub and the the losing teams would have penalties to do a little later in the day.

We'd heard (through the incredible power of facebook) that another group might be doing the 12PC the same day as us, which was cause for concern - the buses would really be overloaded if we clashed. We didn't meet a big group, but a small group of girls on a hen do. They weren't following exactly the same route as us but we did bump into them numerous times throughout the day which was pretty entertaining. Especially by pub 11 when some of us (no names mentioned) thought they'd obviously be interested in spending the rest of the evening with some eligible young 12PC men!

Some of the day's challenges included pool, penny-drop, darts, the Trinity Arms Assault Course, arm wrestling, wall-ball, a quiz and what will, I think, become the infamous pork scratchings relay eating contest! Awesome. I think it's fair to say that Team 1 ("The A-Team") kicked ass (no biased opinions here) and deservedly should hold the Cookie Cup for the next 12 months! Cookie?

The day once again ended with us all in the S-Bar who didn't seem to mind us too much. Friz nearly, very nearly, completed his first puke-free 12PC but after 11 and half pints his stomach decided that enough was enough and as such several piles of vomit appeared just round the corner of the S-Bar. Not one to be left out, Cookie decided this was the thing to do and joined in the fun!

Can't wait for next year!

c/o Dr MRD Jones:

Ladies and gentlemen, The producers of the world famous Jersey 12 Parish challenge proudly present the inaugural Sydney 12 Wharf challenge!

When:
Saturday June 21st 2008 Kick off: Be at Circular Quay for 10:45am

Where:
Sydney Harbour

What:
A drink in the pub closest to 12 wharves (think the title kinda gives it away!)Details: See attached, I'm open to negotiations for closer, or perhaps better, pubs to the wharfs but the route and ferry times can't be altered.

We will unfortunately be leaving Sydney on the 5th July so this will be our last opportunity to catch up with most of you before 8 months of travelling takes us home to Jersey. There is also the small matter of my 30th to celebrate too. We hope you can join us for a day of frivolity, festivities, ferries and fun. You've seen the t-shirt and website now you have the chance to be part of the southern hemisphere version! With 7 invitees to this e-mail having completed the original version their experience will be invaluable!

So, it's true. We're all getting older. This year will be the 10th Twelve Parish Challenge and will mark Mike and Scott's 30th birthdays. Wow! It doesn't seem so long ago that Mike and I were sitting in Liberation Square planning the first one for our 21st birthdays!

We're going to break from the traditional July dates this year as Mike will be back on the rock (albeit briefly) in August. He arrives on Friday the 22nd August and so we'll run the 12PC08 on Saturday 23rd August!

Woo-hoo!