The first time I was gunged was in a local pub, as part of a fun day / fundraiser. I didn't really know about the event and happened to be going to the pub with friends anyway. I noticed the large gunge booth in the corner when we went in but didn't really think much of it.

As the evening wore on, a few people got put in it and it was generally pretty funny. What I didn't know was that you could pay to have someone put into it, and secretly my friends had done this to me! Before I knew what was going on, my name was being called out and I was shepherded towards the booth! Two things stick in my memory from this moment. The first is the fact that I could see the gunge above the booth in a massive transparent container. It was the colour of milk chocolate! I later found out that it was actually the synthetic mud that you can get! The second thing I remember is (and I don't know why) being asked to take my shoes off before getting into the booth. I did as I was told and at this point remembered how awesome my socks were. They were white, with bright turquoise heels and toes, and pictures of colourful guitars all over them! Someone even said "cool socks".

As I sat in the booth I felt oddly vulnerable with no shoes on! Maybe that's the point, people don't really run away in socks! It was also very tranquil, with the hubbub of the pub quite muted by the walls of the booth. And then, with a loud siren noise, the gunge came!

It was genuinely shocking as the torrent hit me on the head, it took my breath away with its cold sliminess! I felt it running down my hair, covering my shoulders and pooling in my lap. And there was loads of it, it just kept coming and coming! The bottom of the booth ended up filling with it, by the time it stopped falling I was well over ankle deep in it. My colourful socks were just a memory!

I just sat there, totally stunned, covered in the mud-like gunge. When they finally opened the door I struggled to my feet and waded out of the ankle deep slop onto a tarpaulin outside. There was a loud cheer! And then, someone handed me my spotless shoes! I thought, what the hell am I supposed to do with those now!!

What a night!