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Thongs                

Not to be confused with the G-string, Thongs are the herald of the Australian summer.

We also call them Aussie workboots, slaps or flip flops.

Aussies will wear them anywhere we can get away with it.

They are the uniform of the beach goer but are useful for so much more than keeping tender feet away from the burning sand.

Most parents from the 50's, 60's & 70's would have used a handy thong to whack a cheeky kid with. Many a time you would see a parent hopping about on one foot trying to get his/her thong off to either smack the kids with or to throw it at them.

Thongs are worn in the shower when you are using public amenities, everyone has a pair of shower thongs in the cupboard.

I have used a thong to prop up a table leg while in a cafe, nothing worse than a wobbly table.

They make great shovels when you are making sand castles and nothing smoothes down the sides of a sand fort like a thong.

They are the best fly swat ever and even the odd wasp or bee has felt it's slap. My husband uses a thong as a spider eliminator.

You can use them in the surf as a body surfing aid, just put your hands through them and put your arms out in front and you will ride that wave like a champ.

We cannot wear them to restaurants but we can wear them to a friend's BBQ without recrimination.

In autumn we pack them away with a sigh, our feet cringe at the thought of being cooped up in airless shoes.

Two-up

Known as the Australian national game, Two-up is a traditional Aussie gambling game, involving a designated 'spinner' throwing two or three coins into the air. Players gamble on whether the coins will fall with both heads up, both tails up or with one coin a head and one a tail (odds). The game is traditionally played on Anzac Day in pubs and clubs throughout Australia. Anzac Day is the only day of the year where Two-up can be played legally.

The spinner places a bet then throws the coins. If the coins come up heads the spinner wins, tails – the spinner loses and must make way for another spinner, odds – the spinner throws again.

It is a fast and exciting game and many a player has lost his shirt playing against the odds.