Cruising Neopia

     The ship was set to depart from Neopia Central, where the rest of my family lives. We arrived a week early to get a chance to catch up and spend some time visiting them. Finally, the day of departure arrived. Rae and I headed down to the port. There we saw a huge ship with so many Neopets on board, many rushing busily around in uniform. As we got closer to the ramp heading up the ship, we saw a friendly, welcoming Gnorbu in uniform. He greeted us and we showed him our tickets. He then gave us a welcome packet with information and voiced directions to our cabin. I was so amazed at all the sights and enormity of the ship as I was boarding that I forgot most of the directions we were given. Luckily though, there were many signs and arrows for directing the passengers. After settling into our room a bit, we decided to make our way back to the deck and get a really good look around.

     A few hours later, the ship started to leave port. The first leg of the sail was rather lengthy and a bit chilly. Finally, we arrived at the Shenkuu port. We took a hot air balloon up to the magnificent city. Admittedly, it was a bit disconcerting being up so high. Especially while walking across any of the bridges connecting the mountain peaks. However, the view is so breathtaking that it is most definitely worth it. One day, while visiting his establishment, Bonju even asked me for a little assistance. So, I did some quick shopping for him at Exotic Foods. He rewarded me with the most delicious thing I have ever tasted, and that includes the delicacies from the Alien Aisha Vending Machine. After a peaceful two days, the ship proceeded to our next destination.

     Arriving at the coastal Kingdom of Altador, all I could think was how picturesque the land was. From the docks, we headed into the big city. Rae and I decided we must make Hall of Heroes our first stop. We were even lucky enough to see the Angry Janitor cleaning up the hall. He yelled at Rae, blaming her for some messy tracks he found. I knew she wasn’t responsible, but there was no point in arguing with him. He is overworked after all, so you can’t blame him for being cranky. After taking in many of the other sights, we headed back to the little seaside town to enjoy the rest of our time until sailing out.

     Next, we navigated along the many outer islands of Moltara. We docked on the main island and headed toward the large gate. We were each given complementary lanterns before being sent down to the city, which is at the end of a maze of stairs and hallways. Though the climate was so intense and blistering, the environment overall was really exhilarating. Finally arriving in the city, it was quite amazing to see all their machines in action. Surprisingly, after only a few minutes, we were already acclimated to the very noisy machinery, and it seemed more like a quiet hum, somewhat inviting even. The glowing Magma Pool was rather mesmerizing. My favourite part of the visit though, was meeting Cog. An inventor with an eye for fashion, you don’t find many of those. We chatted about her creations and some of the fascinating gadgets that I, as an Alien Aisha, have encountered before.

     Heading to the next port, Mystery Island, I was expecting a tranquil few days of sun. On our second day there though, I was asked to take over as Haiku Generator. Rorru was at home with a cold, and they needed someone to fill in for the day. It was such an honour to be asked, so I kindly agreed. It really wasn’t too much trouble, and personally, I think I did quite well. Working isn’t all I did on the island though. Rae and I were still able to take a Tiki Tour, play some Beach Volleyball, and even nab a couple great souvenirs from the Trading Post before proceeding to the next stop.

     Krawk Island was the next destination. It’s actually quite a small place, so there wasn’t too much to take in. We exchanged some of our Neopoints for dubloons of course, as you need them to participate in the commerce and games on the island. With gambling being the local tradition, Rae and I decided to try our luck at a few of the local joints, such as the Food Club and Bilge Dice. On one of our outings, we even had the chance to meet Governor McGill. He is an interesting, albeit eccentric, fellow who arranged a jolly send-off for us.

     Our next adventure awaited in the Lost Desert. After viewing the Pyramids, and of course Coltzan’s Shrine, we wanted to explore Qasala. King Jazan, however, was at the gate challenging all potential visitors with a riddle. All who were able to figure it out, including Rae and I, were allowed inside and even taken on a VIP tour. It was wonderful and exciting. I don’t think I should share too much of it however, some being secret and all. Before leaving the desert though, we made sure to peruse the local market in Sakhmet.

     Next, we headed to Faerieland. Such a gorgeous place! I’m sure it was lovely when it was hovering above Neopia, but with the contrast of the greenery all around the ethereal land, it… there are just no words for the beauty. The Rainbow Fountain especially, was just stunning to see. The sound was also amazing. Unless you were in the city with all of its noise and bustle, you could hear so many unique birds and creatures in the jungle. After a peaceful couple days in Faerieland, we headed out. I made sure to stop by the Healing Springs on the way out and buy a couple healing potions from Marina, just in case I needed them later.

     We then moved on to our next stop, Brightvale. After visiting the castle's throne room and failing to impress King Hagan, I was pulled aside by a royal servant. She asked me to help her out and track down a specific fruit for the king. It was tricky, but after traversing quite a few different farmlands, I managed to get a hold of the requested produce and return it to her. She was so grateful for the assistance that she snuck me a little souvenir from the castle décor. We spent most of the rest of our time there watching them make beautiful stained glass at Brightvale Glaziers.

     Our next stop was Meridell, of course. We saw the giant Turmaculus, though we didn’t dare get close for fear of him eating poor little Rae. I learned some tips from some amazing archers at Ultimate Bullseye, tried my luck at Kiss the Mortog, and even got to see the beautiful Illusen in person. Rae and I decided to skip the castle visit though. We didn’t have any interest in seeing the Grumpy Old King.

     Next, the cruise liner headed toward our last travel stop, Tyrannia. While we were exploring the Plateau, a native ran up to me and began shouting in Tyrannian. Boy, was I glad I had brought a translation book. After searching frantically, I determined that he was warning me that I had dropped my keychain a while back. I hunted through the book to find the words for thank you, and then went to retrieve it. We all made sure to visit the Giant Omelette to take a taste of it with us, but Sabre-X was there to make sure we only received one souvenir helping each.

     With the cruise complete and the ship headed back to Neopia Central, I made sure to pack all my souvenirs from the trip. Though Rae and I hadn’t made a plan for that before the trip, we ended up having to buy extra luggage to get it all home with us. All in all, it was a wonderful trip, which Rae and I were glad we went on. As well as recommend it to anyone interested in joining the next one.

     The End