fun night, cut slightly short by my dodgy knee

We went to a bushdance last night, and like all good Aussie bushdances, it began with the Heel-And-Toe Polka, and featured such music as Click Go The Shears, Botany Bay, and Home Among The Gum Trees.

For people who are unfamiliar with these:
- The Heel-And-Toe Polka is taught to every single primary school student in the country. It is extremely easy, and very fun.

- Click Go The Shears is a song about sheep shearing (also taught in primary school). No-one remembers the verses except for the person playing the song, but everyone knows the chorus, which should be sung as loudly as possible.

- Botany Bay is a song for convicts, about leaving England behind and shipping off to Australia. Very catchy...

- And then there's Home Among The Gum Trees, which is about the myriad delights of living in Australia, with a particular focus on vegemite, clotheslines, rabbits, and rocking chairs.

Any Aussie could sing these to you instantly. They're our songs, and we love them.


That's Australia for you: sheep, convicts, rocking chairs, and the polka...