h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Australians like their beer cold - I mean just before ice crystals begin to form. When attending a "barbie", you will see the men carrying one or two "slabs" or "cartons" of beer, each with 24 stubbies (literally stubby bottles of around 375 mL)or "grenades" (30 smaller bottles). The women bring mixers, bourbon and bags of ice. Ice is sold at most "servos" (service stations)for about $1 a bag. This stuff is very important for the party because the fridge is usually chocka block full of cold chicken, potato salad and beer, lots and lots of beer.

There are usually 5-6 "eskies" or as the Kiwis call them "chilly bins" filled with ice and beer. The laundry sinks or a spare downstairs bathtub can also be filled to the brim with ice and beer. Sometimes bottles of spirits are kept in ice on a particularly hot day.

You will never be without a beer. As soon as you arrive they will be offering you stubbie arter stubbie.

You know you are truly accepted at the barbie if you are given your own "stubbie cooler" to use.

Anyone is welcome, but if you are an American I would advise keeping your voice down, at least until people are happily drunk. The American voice tends to carry like a yodel in the alps, and you may get some looks and hear "mumble mumble bloody yanks mumble mumble"