Airlie Beach/Australia

March 13, 2024 Airlie Beach

We were able to get into the tender shortly after 8 a.m. A shuttle bus was waiting for us at the landing stage and took us into town.

Airlie Beach is a tourist resort made up of restaurants, tour operators, accommodation and shops, including a large modern Woolworth's which I looked around. Among the restaurants, I noticed a steakhouse that supposedly offered the best steaks in the world and beyond. Emu, kangaroo, crocodile and wild boar were also on the menu. I wanted to have lunch here.

At first I wandered through the town without discovering anything remarkable. But I found the community's beautiful, large swimming pool near the seashore, which is available for free use. You are only allowed to go into the sea with a diving suit, otherwise it is life-threatening due to the jellyfish.

I stayed in this pool for an hour. Afterwards I leisurely made my way to the steakhouse.

A disappointment awaited me there: the steakhouse was closed. I couldn't find the opening times anywhere. The internet helped me: Open only from 4 p.m. during the week. A pity.

So I moved on in search of a culinary adventure. And I found what I was looking for. There were “Bugs” in a restaurant called “The Bar.” I had heard about this local species of lobster in the Queensland lecture.

The ordering process was unusual. I was told that the lunch menu was only valid from 12 p.m. First I wanted to order a drink. I should order and pay for that at the bar. OK. After 12 p.m. still no waitress came. When I asked, they said I had to order and pay at the counter. At least the food would be brought to my table, the number of which I would have to give.

While I was waiting for my "bugs", I struck up a conversation with a German couple from the after-bat table. The two were traveling on a German cruise ship.

My food arrived and it was quite tasty. However, I found the price to be too high. Well, lobster is also overrated.

I then went to the shuttle bus. As soon as I got in, a heavy rain shower hit us. When we arrived at the pier the rain had stopped and I was able to return to the ship on the open upper deck.

In the evening the magician Duck Cameron showed us his funny tricks.

Comedian Steve Allison (the one with the axes) also appeared later. He greeted me personally: "I remember you. You are a good sport".