Harrowing Holidays: Darigan Citadel

And this year, my favorite pick is the Darigan Citadel. It’s a fantastic place, filled with fun activities, impressive games, cheap shops, and a whole lot more! I know, I know. You’re wondering about my mental health due to the insanity of this suggestion. But just finish reading this article, and I may just have you convinced...

First Impressions

The Darigan Citadel is a large purple flying castle, situated several miles above Neopia. Looking down, you can see many rolling green pastures and red berry bushes. If you squint, you may be able to pick out a mud-thatched house, or perhaps even Illusen's’ Glade. All this greenery makes for a very scenic view, I can assure you.

The main attraction on the Citadel is its namesake, the Castle of Darigan. From the wooden drawbridge to the highest tower, it’s a photogenic spot. Bridges connect many of the purple turreted towers. Even the sentry seems to be decorated, due to the many inscribed pictures on its marble walls. Darigan likes his fanciness, apparently.

There are other sights to see, of course. Maybe if your pet's a battler, they can try training their petpet. Or perhaps the evil one in your family can get a new look perfectly fitting his personality. Card games, cute toys, all this and more can be found in the Darigan Citadel.

Weather

Being so high up, you can imagine that it’d be cold here. And you’re right. At the Darigan Citadel there is always a slight nip in the air, though it rarely ever gets so chilly that you need a padded jacket. Storms are quite frequent, though, and it’s easy to get drenched. Luckily, there has never been a report of lightning, so no chance of your pet getting scared!

Pack Your Bags

Thinking of going to experience the sights and sounds of Darigan? Well, you need to know what to take with you, other than your basic travel supplies.

Spare Jacket- Like I have said before, Darigan evenings can get a bit frosty, enough for you to shiver. Better pack one of these so you can continue sightseeing, even when the temperature drops.

Heavy-Duty Boots- In the clouds, it’s a bit wet. On my trip here, I endured so many dirty socks; it took three trips to the launders to get the yucky brown stain out. Take these with you to prevent the same fiasco from happening to you. Also, when you climb up slippery rocks, you won’t slip too much.

Umbrella- These are needed due to frequent showers.

Parachute- Parts of the Darigan Citadel can disintegrate, if you get my hint. One parachute for each of your pets could protect you from a long hospital bill for all of the broken bones you have sustained. Bright shades, such as red or orange, are a must. You do want people on the ground to see you, don’t you?

Colored Pencils- I’m under a confidentiality contract not to say anything about this matter. However, it’s a really good idea to have a few hundred of these.

Travel Itinerary

This is for a two day, one night vacation.

Day One:

Your vacation starts off at nine. Quickly, go over to Meridell, specifically, to the Uni Carriages. It’s a bright pink building, with flowers lining all the doors, so you can’t miss it. There request a Uni carriage for however many people you have in your family. They’ll have one for you, with two helpful tour guides, in about half-an-hour. Hopefully the tour guides are helpful. The one we had tended to get red in the face whenever one of my pets asked a question. But that’s just my rambling. Back on topic now...

Once you have landed at the beautiful Darigan Citadel, it’s time for your vacation to start. Walk on over to your hotel, and check in. There, you can rest on those delightful purple and black couches they have, and rest a bit for a few hours. (Did you know it is part of the law to have purple and black furniture in every hotel room?)

Once you’re ready to start some sightseeing, go on out.

Head on over to the Petpet arena, which is the large circular building with purple spikes sticking out from the roof. Good thing you brought your Neopet's favorite little buddy with you. It’s his time to shine. First, you can watch a few action packed battles. This is my favorite part. Who couldn’t like it? After all, you can see petpets clawing each other, crushing their opponent, and doing everything possible to win!

When your cold feet are gone, make your way to an arena. Just sign up with the Mynci in the corner, the one wearing the top-hat, and get ready! Good luck with your match; you’ll need it, as some of these Petpets are champions.

After exiting, maybe with a gold trophy in hand, you’re probably hungry. To satisfy your hunger, go to the Falkon restaurant. It’s a posh place, and your best black-tie suit is needed. Some of the fine delicacies include their fabulous Cherries and Berries Salad, the Salted Fish, and for dessert the Chocolate Marble Cake. Bellies full, you leave contented, do you not? Tomorrow shall be an even more packed day, so get some sleep.

Day Two:

Wake up at the crack of dawn to see the special fireworks. Over twenty different kinds of golden and red fireworks light up the night. That enthralling sight should wake up your groggy pets. You’ll need to be as awake as you can get, because the first activity on your schedule is a game of Cellblock. Get five of your tokens to be in a row before your opponent. Even pets that don’t have a high intelligent rate can enjoy plotting a strategy for winning this game. If you aren’t a game player, you can enjoy a friendly conversation with Master Vex. He is a good cook, and may have a few homemade chocolate-chip cookies. Even a conversation with the Yellow Knight can leave you in a happy mood, due to his sense of humor. Just stay away from Prisoner Five; everyone knows Jelly World doesn’t exist!

After a few rounds of Cellblock, it’s time to continue on to the next sight. Darigan Toys is one of the best places to get cute souvenirs. You can find clockworks toys here, which are so fun to wind-up! If your pet isn’t a fan of self motivated machines, no worries. There are spiked bubble blowers, and adorable jack-in-the-boxes. Everything your pet needs for a rainy day. Check out a few other pet stores in the nearby area if Darigan Toys is out of items. It’s very popular, as you can clearly see.

Last on your vacation is the Darigan Castle! For a mere 5,000 per person, you can actually go inside. All of the rooms are yours to see, from the large ballroom, complete with orchestra instruments, to the humble library, filled with tomes to read. You can even see the very room where the Darigan/Meridell contract was signed. A duplicate is in that room, for your viewing pleasure.

After that, your trip is over. Take the late night Uni Carriage back to Meridell. By then, it’ll be late at night, so you should stay in a hotel. However, if you live close by, you can trek back home, as the Uni Carriage Long Distances close at 7:00.

That ends your handy little brochure to the wonders of Darigan. Isn’t it a great vacation spot, now that I convinced you? I hope that you’re planning a trip there soon. Maybe you’ll see me there, enjoying its wonders for a second time!

If you're reading this, then this is my first article to the NT! Comments and criticism are appreciated.