A Mystery Island Getaway Vacation – Part II

This is a continuation of last week's article, "A Mystery Island Getaway Vacation – Part I".

Day Two

7:00 AM NST – Cooking Pot

Today is a day of explorations! But before you head out for the day, you need to get your energy levels high and Jhuidah the Island Faerie has just the thing. At her magical cooking pot, you can combine different items to produce interesting results. You can make anything from delicious food to powerful battledome weapons to oddly shaped sand sculptures.

With the long day ahead of you, be sure to get in those carbs and protein and some greens too. For breakfast, mix snowghetti and meatballs and hot soup together to make a hearty bowl of meatball broth. Furthermore, I recommend combining a magic potion with sunflower seeds for a bundle of crunchy asparagus—this will make a healthy snack to take on the hike. Throw in some bread and neopox pizza for a delicious BBQ porkwich (this will be your lunch). It's fatty, absolutely delicious, and has the energy to fuel your pet for the entire day (not to mention it increases your defense by 1!). If you want to bring home some gifts or cool weapons, feel free to throw some non-food items into the pot too—interesting results guaranteed!

9:30 AM NST – Lost City of Geraptiku

Ahh, yes, our main attraction for today. On the northern shores of Mystery Island lie the ruins of the Lost City of Geraptiku. Many Neopians are reluctant to venture to its eerie grounds, afraid that the spirits of long-gone inhabitants will despise their disturbing presence and drive them away at all costs... even death. But that's all folklore, isn't it? You don't really believe in that kind of crazy superstition, do you?

Well, either way, if you are brave and adventurous, there are about a dozen native guides that can give you an extremely interesting and informative tour of these ruins. In addition, they have been trained at the local training school and boast the title of "Expert" or higher, so they can ensure your safety. However, they will require an upfront fee of 2,000 NP for a day of services, but that's a small price to pay for knowledge and protection, no?

11:30 AM NST – Ruined huts and Deserted Tomb

When you first enter this ancient city, you will notice the tattered and weather-beaten huts. Your guide will lead you into a fairly stable hut so you can witness the homes of the ancient people for yourself. The contrast between modern Neopian life and ancient island life can be quite startling for many tourists! In addition, you will travel to the Deserted Tomb with your guide. No one remembers the purpose of this tomb, but legend says that grand treasure lies behind the stone doors. Whether you choose to open the door and find out for yourself... is up to you.

1:00 PM NST – Lunch

Sit down among the city ruins for lunch and a short rest. Your porkwich will seem twice as juicy when compared to the desolate state of your surroundings.

2:00 PM NST – Geraptiku Petpets

Local natives have capitalized on the tourism opportunity of this ancient city and set up a modest petpet shop amongst the ruins. They have rounded up the exotic creatures of Geraptiku so you can admire them. If you wish to purchase one of these feisty creatures, be sure you have plenty of cash in your pocket as they are quite pricey. But most important of all, choose one that doesn't bite!

4:00 PM NST – Beach

Your tour ends here. As you depart from this ancient city, be sure to thank your tour guide and tip them well. Take a moment to relax and rest on the sunny beach—you've done lots of hiking today and there is more to come. There are many vendors selling yummy food along the boardwalk, so browse around and buy whatever you want to fill your stomach as there will be no formal dinner tonight. Also, we have timed this so that you can witness a glorious beach sunset too. Take out your Zafara tourist camera and capture this brilliantly lit pink and orange moment forever.

8:00 PM NST – Mystery Island Volcano and Aerial Tour

This is the last destination for today. Be sure to bring some codestones with you, as you can test the authenticity of the volcano by yourself by throwing some regular codestones into its mouth. They will bounce back glowing red like the hot magma of the volcano! A fire faerie cloud racer will take you on an aerial tour of the volcano. You can see the bubbling lava and feel the heat radiating from the inside of the earth. In addition, you will get a breathtaking view of the entire island. The cost of an hour long aerial tour is approximately 8,000 NP. The exhilaration of flight can only be described as, albeit cliché, priceless.

9:30 PM NST – Back to Lodge

10:00 PM NST – Lights Out

Day Three

5:00 AM NST – Beach (to watch the sunrise)

You've seen Mystery Island's famous ocean sunset, but you have yet to see a sunrise over the water. Wake up bright and early and catch the island sky and sea at its most brilliant. Bring your Zafara tourist camera and enjoy.

6:00 AM NST – Rock Pool

Take a hike to the neighbouring rock pool. You will have to take a canoe to get there as it is situated on an island of its own. A native will charge you 50 NP for a ride. You can see a piece of Maraqua at the rock pool. Vibrant colourful fish all the way from the underworld kingdom are placed in glassy containers for you to admire. You can also purchase one of these babies and take it home with you. They boast a great variety at a great value too, from Catamara (3,000 NP) to Soreen (10,000 NP) to Bubblisaur (8,000 NP). How neat!

8:00 AM NST – Beach

Go back to the beach and spend a lazy morning there. Play in the waters, build a sand castle, sip a tangy tropical drink—it doesn't really matter what you do, you'll always have fun at the beach. If you are short on neopoints, make your own island souvenir by scooping up some warm white sand and putting it in a glass bottle. Collect a few seashells and place them in there too. Voila—a piece of the island for absolutely free! Furthermore, we recommend you take a nap at the beach to invigorate yourself for a busy, busy afternoon. Remember to apply lots and lots of sunscreen, though; you don't want to get burnt by the scorching sun!

12:00 PM NST – Island Chef Academy

Head over to the Island Chef Academy for a fine dining experience. The best thing about this restaurant is that you can actually see the chefs in action. Some of Neopia's best chefs come to this academy to learn with the master chef of kitchen quests, former chef to the Royal Family of Maraqua. Their skill, speed, and culinary sense are remarkable! Not only will you sample the richest, most delicious cuisine this island has to offer, but you will also enjoy the greatest culinary show of all times.

1:30 PM NST – Tombola and Tiki Tack

Now that your belly is full, head over to the shops. The Tombola hosts a lottery in which you can pick one Tombola ticket per day and win a prize if it ends in 0, 2, or 5. Even of you don't draw one of those numbers, you still might win a booby prize, which is still pretty good considering you don't have to pay for your ticket. Collect your prize and go to the Tiki Tack for quality island merchandise. This is where you can buy souvenirs for yourself and all your friends back home. Bottles of sand is one of the best selling items here, but you can also get a souvenir magnet that reads "I got lost on Mystery Isle," a cute Hularoo toy, or even a jar of pickled olives. Go wild!

3:00 PM NST – Beach Volleyball

Enjoy a fun and friendly game of Mynci Beach Volleyball—don't worry, contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be a Mynci to participate. What could be more exciting than a friendly competition in the warm tropical breeze? Be sure to put on a pair of sunglasses to block out the harmful UV rays. You don't want to be blinded by the sun when a ball is hurtling towards your head at 50 kilometres per hour! Most importantly, have fun and remember to show good sportsmanship. No one likes a sore loser (or egotistical winner). If you are not particularly fond of volleyball, you can always sit and cheer for your friends and random strangers alike. (:

5:00 PM NST – Haiku Kougra

Visit the Haiku Kougra for your daily haiku. A haiku is a traditional Mystery Island poem. It's three lines long with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five again in the last. Often, haikus contain carry deep and insightful messages that require contemplation. Listen to the Kougra as he recites the daily haiku and jot it down on a notebook for future reference. The world is about more than just fun and games, you know.

6:00 PM NST – Beach Festival!

Go back to the beach. Every other evening, Mystery Island hosts an exciting, fun-filled festival for all tourists to enjoy. Admission and food are all free! Gorge on delicious tropical fruits and yummy seafood entrées, dance to rhythm-driven native music, and sing your favourite island tunes! This is your last day on this tropical paradise, so enjoy it and have the time of your life! Aloha!

9:00 PM NST – Harbour

Go to the harbour and await the next ship's arrival. Do a head count and make sure everyone with you is present. You don't want to leave your best friend on a tropical island with dancing natives and weird fruit for rest of his life! Although that doesn't sound like a completely horrible life... But alas, there are mouths to feed and chores to tend to. So home-ward it is! Take one last look at this beautiful paradise and lick the last drop of sweetness from your fruit-stained lips, but hold on tight to the brilliant island memories and let them stay with you, forever and always.

Until next time,

TikiVacations Inc.