Our ship pulled in this morning around 8 A.M. and there was no rush for us to get out today, as our tour wasn't scheduled until 1:15 P.M.

Hope and I took our time getting ourselves together. Agnes (cabin steward) knocked on the door and we apologized and told her, that we'd be out soon. So we tried to hurry, but we were working on CP time.

We headed out and up for a late breakfast. Trying to find a table is murder. We've often obliged folks to sit with us and we've done the same, but sometimes you really don't want to talk to strangers.

Hope nabbed her breakfast first, while I guarded the table.

Hope and I decided that we really weren't in the mood for "Stand Up Surfing" on the Flowrider, so we headed up to the room to grab our gear and then back down to the Royal Promenade to get our tender tickets.

The wait was not long, as we cruised some of the stores, until time for us to head down to the gangway.

We were on the same tender as Melanie and her family.

The tender only took about 30 minutes total, ship to dock.

As we walked through the Port of Airlie, I tried to walk around to see where we'd board for our tour. After scurrying around in and out, we finally found the woman working for Royal Caribbean who gave us a number and told us to have a seat, as the tours were running late today.

Airlie Beach is a locality in the Whitsunday Region of Queensland, Australia. At the 2016 census, the suburb of Airlie Beach itself had a population of 1,206 excluding Cannonvale.

Airlie Beach is one of many departure points for the Great Barrier Reef. Near latitude 20 degrees south, Airlie Beach, Proserpine and the nearby Whitsunday Islands enjoy a tropical climate and lifestyle.

Each year the residents of Airlie Beach celebrate The Blessing of the Fleet on Whit Sunday or Pentecost Sunday.

Tourism

Airlie Beach is a tourist destination, popular with backpackers. Its beach is small and the sea is inhabited by marine stingers, the box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) from November to May. In order to provide somewhere for the visitors tourists to swim, the local council, has built a small - medium-sized swimming lagoon on the foreshore, similar to the lagoon found in Cairns. The Airlie Beach Lagoon is 4,300 m2 and 4.5 million litres of self-chlorinated water.

The Great Barrier Reef is somewhat accessible from Airlie Beach, with an array of different types of tours available. Majority of these tours depart from Abell Point Marina but a few depart from the recently completed Port of Airlie. The Abell Point Marina contains 507 berths.

History

The name derived from the former town of Airlie and unbounded locality of Airlie Beach. Airlie was named following a request by the Lands Department in December 1935 for the Proserpine Shire Council to provide a name for a new sub-division on the coast. It is almost certain that the town was named for the parish of Airlie, in Scotland, as the name was suggested by the chairman of the former Proserpine Shire Council, Robert Shepherd, who was born in nearby Montrose, Scotland. The official name was Airlie from 1936 until 1987, when it became Airlie Beach.

Airlie Beach Post Office opened on 2 November 1959.

The cruise ship industry in the Whitsundays has been growing steadily, with more ships docking in Airlie Beach and on Hamilton Island every year. The beautiful Whitsundays has a range of shore excursions on offer covering all the iconic experiences of a Whitsunday holiday - from trips to the Great Barrier Reef to go snorkelling or diving, to visits to the world-famous Whitehaven Beach, to scenic flights over the islands.

On the coast, passengers can experience a number of historical or food-based day trips, or spend the day meandering around the main street of Airlie Beach, visiting the lagoon, picking up some souvenirs at the markets (which pop up every time a cruise ship is in port), and doing a spot of shopping.

Cruise ship passengers constantly rate Airlie Beach as one of their favourite ports, thanks to the stunning destination and the outstanding work put in by the Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors.

The main strip of Airlie where most of the backpacker resorts and pubs are located is usually known as Airlie Beach proper. Cannonvale is the section west of the strip to where the developments peter out. Beyond that is Cannonvalley and Strathdickie - more rural areas where the housing is more acreage style or farming land.

Some ladies from Atlanta sat near me and started talking about couponing. So you know I had to jump in on that conversation. Wished I had my celli to show them what couponing really looks like, but I never turn it on, while I'm on vacation.

We watched a few folks from our group head out for their tours and watched shoppers at the small gift shop there inside the port and finally we were called to line up, as our bus arrived.

Hope and I headed to the back of the bus, assured to get separate seats, so we'd each have a window.

The bus headed on it's way and drove for a bit while we all viewed the countryside. We then headed onto Bruce Highway and stopped at the Proserpine Historical Museum.

The Proserpine Historical Museum, is a three-time winner of the Whitsunday Heritage and Cultural Tourism Award and a Queensland Tourism Judges Commendation. The museum has also been inducted into the Whitsunday Tourism Hall of Fame.

The Society aims to collect and preserve the history of the Whitsunday region and its associated communities. The museum houses an extensive collection of printed materials, photographs and artefacts relating to the history of the area, from its first inhabitants the Juru, Gia, Bira and Ngaro people, to the early European pioneers and the post war settlers. A small theatre screens a selection of DVDs on local topics and famous identities.

The Museum is managed and maintained entirely by volunteers.

The driver stated that we would only stop here for 45 minutes; however, seemed as though we were there for days. I like museums, but this one was kinda dark and non-inviting.

We mulled around the center gift center, but a lot of the things were hand-made and were a bit pricey. The museum also sold postcards, but did not sell stamps for postcards addressed to the U.S.

After a bathroom break I headed out to the bus. The driver had set out a cooler with cooled bottled water and I grabbed one, just in case I became dry as a dead dingo's donger (thirsty).

The entire tour was allotted 3 hours, but I felt this stop was a waste. Tourists want to see the island, not go to a museum, when we're short on time. We left there and rode around and the bus driver passed a maccas (McDonald's). He stated that they have 2 on the island. Then he headed up passing homes and hotels. Many of the homes were $1M or more. With a population of only 1,206 folks, they must all be rich. LOL. At certain points we were able to take a few good photos. The poor little lady seated behind me, kept saying, "slow down, slow down," but I guess the bus driver couldn't hear her.

After the tour, we were dropped off at a bar, to have tea and crumpets. I wasn't in the mood for tea, nor crumpets. I wanted to just a little bit of shopping. Hope and I wandered down the strip of vendors surrounding the lagoon. Most had packed up their wares and were leaving. We were able to catch a couple of them still trying to land that final sale.

We walked across the street, as there were some shoppes there. The Seafolly had beautiful tropical items, but everything was truly overpriced. I did have my eye on a wool poncho, but decided not.

Hope and I walked on back towards the strip and she was looking at this little set-up where they sold jewelry and scarves. She purchased some scarves I think. I was looking at some jewelry and asking the gentleman what type of stones were there.

When we headed around to the original shoppe we stopped at, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I heard my mother say, "Debra, if you want it get it. You may never come this way again and do what I told you to do." I ran back to the shoppe and they'd pulled the rack in that had the winter clothing on it and the sweater poncho. The saleswoman knew just what I was talking about and grabbed it off the rack and I made the purchase.

I always try to buy something native or made in the country, I travel. Embroidered T-Shirt, soap, clothing, etc. SOMETHING.

So we headed back to the bus stop, but the bus we were trying to hop on, was a tour bus, but the guy told us to hop on and don't tell anybody. There were other tourists from the ship already on it. We'd taken about 5,037 steps today.

I stopped into the gift shoppe inside the Port of Airlie and it was like Black Friday, but worse. There was only one cashier. Folks trying to buy last minute gifts and tropical shirts for dinner tonight, as that was the theme. Though I didn't make it to "The Great Barrier Reef," I can say I was close.

Back to the ship and down that long hallway to our cabin. We had to hurry, clean up and get dressed for dinner.

Dinner was good, I order my standard, shrimp cocktail, escargot and for dessert 3 scoops of chocolate ice cream and that delicious coffee.

Everyone looked nice in their tropical gear. Luckily I had packed a somewhat tropical print dress.

Again, Hope and I part ways and she heads over to the Promenade. They had an "Ultimate Clearance, a Regalia Fine Jewelry sale, and Watches and Scotches."

I slipped into my jammies and decided to blog a bit. After a while, Hope appears with all these watches. I say, "I thought you weren't buying another watch." She goes, "no, no, these are gifts." I just say, "ok" and continue typing.

Tonight was really nice, we left the balcony door cracked, as it had been 82 degrees today.

I chucked Hope the remote and turned over.