Tag 77: Geraldton - The Sun City

Geraldton is located on the west coast of Western Australia in Champion Bay, 424 kilometers north of Perth. With a population of around 40,000, it is the fifth largest city in the state and the center of the Mid West region. Due to its average of 8 hours of sunshine per day, it is also called the "Sun City". The coral reefs off the coast of the city were a danger to many ships in the 17th and 18th centuries. The most famous of them was the Dutch trading ship "Batavia", which sank here off the coast in 1629. Today, the "Coral Coast" with its beautiful beaches and crystal clear water is known as a water sports, snorkeling and diving paradise. Geraldton itself offers a modern beach promenade, a lively city life and numerous attractions. The port is one of the most important on Australia's west coast.

The women stay on board. We men want to leave the ship at 10 o'clock. Since no one is allowed to walk in the port area, everyone has to take a shuttle bus to the city. But the capacity is not designed for 1,000 people. It feels like we've been waiting for our transfer for 1 hour. When we arrive in the city, everyone is very friendly, distributing city maps, answering questions and making small talk. We are the first large cruise ship in almost three years. People are excited to see us.

On the main street, there are shops, cafes, fast food restaurants and restaurants lined up next to each other. We buy a protective case for Pius' new iPhone and climb a hill where the monument in honor of a sunken warship stands. Beautifully designed with the best view over Geraldton. From there, we make our way to the beach and walk along it. Everything is clean and attractively prepared. In a cafe, we ask for a beer, which is not available here. Public serving of alcohol is very limited. But an employee takes us to the street and describes the way to an appropriate bar. They serve beer from the Swan brewery, which we visited in Perth yesterday. Everyone has to sit at the tables together, of course with AIDA guests. Where do they all come from? In conclusion, Pius absolutely wants to go to KFC. The atmosphere is bleak, at least compared to my last visit to Portland, Oregon. But that was back in 2016. There was plenty of space, flat screens, comfortable chairs and sofas. What a contrast. Here, 18 uncomfortable seats, a spartan counter, impersonal staff. On the second try, we get the right order and Pius likes it. A reconciling end to our shore excursion and the return transport by shuttle bus now goes smoothly.

Goodbye Australia!

After leaving the port, the mask requirement was lifted.