A Mystery Island Getaway Vacation – Part I

Are you tired of the snow and ice and cold? With plummeting temperatures and shortening days, many Neopians are catching the winter blues. If you are feeling particularly restless and have some extra NP to spare, why not pack up and sail off to a winter-getaway vacation? After all, not every Neopian land is a sorry sight of barren trees and frozen ponds in the Month of Sleeping. In the middle of the vast ocean lies a beautiful tropical paradise--Mystery Island! Hundreds of miles away from the rest of Neopia, Mystery Island is the perfect place to escape from real life and just relax. Come down here for a week of fun, sand, and beach!

Interested? Well, don't go running off to catch the next ship that sets sail to Mystery Island. Sure, you will get there, but then what? What will you do? What can you do? What's that round purple thing? And who are those weird guys with wooden masks covering their faces? Oh, Fyora, this is where they keep the insane Neopets, isn't it?

Now that may sound absurd, but trust me, once you get there and see the strange land yourself, you will understand why the above deduction is a perfectly possible one for someone who knows nothing of the island's traditions, customs, and history.

Thus, I have prepared a comprehensive tourist guide for the perfect Mystery Island vacation. This guide includes tips for packing tiki-style, a detailed itinerary, as well as tidbits of interesting information on the island's history and inhabitants. Enjoy!

About Mystery Island

Mystery Island is a tropical island located in the southern hemisphere of Neopia. Epithets of this Mystery Island include "the isle of wonder," "the island of paradise," and "home to fruit and fun."

The island has many traditions, most of which are strange to the average Neopian, for they have been isolated from the rest of Neopia for many, many years.

Mystery Island elders are treated with the utmost respect. Anything less and you are just asking for a scolding!

The largest industry in Mystery Island is tourism. Neopians from all over the globe travel to this isolated paradise to enjoy its gorgeous white-sand beaches and succulent food.

In the past, Neopians had to purchase totems in order to access this mysterious island. Today, sailing to Mystery Island is free for everyone!

The island's primary export is tropical fruit. From azzle to chokato to flotato to juppie, Mystery Island's brilliantly coloured and uniquely shaped fruits are widely regarded Neopia's best. Its year-long summers, high daytime and low night-time temperature, and fertile soils all contribute to produce the sweetest and juiciest fruits of all.

The Tiki Tack man is the most well-known native on Mystery Island. He acquired his fame from giving out prizes at the Tombola and accrued his fortune from selling merchandise at the local Tiki Tack Shop.

The Lost City of Geraptiku is a remnant of ancient island civilization that archaeologists only recently uncovered. These ruins have become a large part of the island's tourism industry as hundreds of thousands of Neopians visit this place annually, seeking for adventure and who knows what else.

What to Pack

Before you leave, you have to pack up. Remember, it's always better to over-pack than under-pack. You don't want to be in the middle of a sunny beach when you suddenly remember that you forgot to bring a bathing suit!

A few essentials are swimwear, sunscreen, shades, and of course, toiletries. Bring plenty of T-shirts, tank tops, and shorts. Flip flops are great for the beach, but you also need a pair of running shoes too to support your busy feet for a day of exploration at the ruined city of Geraptiku. Bring a volleyball if you play Mynci Beach Volleyball and a beach ball if you just like to fool around; the wave print beach ball is a favourite among young Neopets.

Of course you want to preserve all the lovely memories you're about to create, don't you? A camera will keep those sizzling adventures and tropical sunsets alive forever. Currently, the only camera on the market is the Zafara Tourist Camera. Its retail price is a little over 9,000 NP, but it's well worth every neopoint!

Last but not least, remember to bring a decent sum of money! From lodging to food to tickets to tours: everything costs neopoints. For a three day vacation, a minimum of 10,000 NP per Neopet per day (30,000 NP total) is a must. If you can afford to carry more cash with you, then all the better!

Itinerary

The key to a fantastic vacation is planning ahead. That is why it is so important to have a well-thought out itinerary devised by an experienced tourist guide from Mystery Island (me!). You don't have to follow the itinerary to the letter, but you can if you want to. Otherwise, feel free to switch up times, add or remove activities, and revamp the schedule to suit your personal needs. Bring along friends if you want! This vacation is about YOU, so make sure you only do the things that you like!

Day Zero

8:00 PM NST – Harbour

8:30 PM NST – Island Lodge

Arrive at the Island Lodge. This will be your accommodation for the entirety of the vacation, so make yourself at home!

10:30 PM NST – Lights Out

Get a good night's sleep.

Day One

8:00 AM NST – Rise and shine!

Wake up nice and early and get ready for an exciting day! The inhabitants of Mystery Island are usually up bright and early so you want to be up too.

9:00 AM NST - Tiki Tack Tour

Arrive at the Tiki Tack Tour Centre and rent a cart. It's only 50 NP per neopet! The Tiki Tack Tour is a wonderful way to explore the island and learn about this mystical island from the natives themselves. How else would you find out that Techo Mountain actually has the face of a Techo carved into its side? It's one of the sixteen wonders of Neopia! In addition, this tour will act as a prelude of sorts to introduce you to all the terrific places you will see in the next three days on the island.

12:30 PM NST - Tropical Food Shop

Feeling hungry? Time for lunch! Head over to the Tropical Food Shop for the best selection of delectable island cuisine. From tropical fruits to fishy delights, this shop has it all! Enjoy a fruity lend of islandberry tea, a plateful of kelpcakes with green sauce—it's certainly an interesting take on the traditional pancake dish, or a tangy bowl of refreshing roseatte ice cream. Yum! A full course meal will set you back by around 3,000 NP to 5,000 NP. A little pricey, admittedly, but well worth every neopoint!

2:00 PM NST - Island Marketplace and Trading Post

Now that your belly is full and your spirits are high, why not head over to the neighbouring huts, otherwise known as the Island Marketplace! The natives call this place the island of paradise, and you can probably see why. With hundreds and hundreds of fun, unique stores to shop at, you are sure to find a cute souvenir for you (or two, or three...). Just make sure you don't go overboard and spend all your neopoints here. ;) Also, the Trading Post is in the vicinity, so if you have some extra goods with you, feel free to head over and trade with the locals. Remember to bargain for the best price and most importantly, have fun! It's not about who gets the better deal, it's the experience that you're after.

5:00 PM NST - Island Mystic

One of the most famous and talked-about places on Mystery Island is the Island Mystic's hut. He tells fortunes with shocking accuracy. No one knows how he does it—some call it magic, others call it talent. The ones who have never visited the great mystic are sceptical, but every Neopet who leaves his hut will tell you that he is nothing short of pure genius. Believe me, this will be a unique experience that you will never forget!

6:00 PM NST – Island Arena

Chances are, you didn't pack any weaponry in your suitcases, but that's okay! You are not at the island arena to fight anyways (we don't want our tourists getting injured or anything); you are here to be a spectator. 3000 NP will purchase you a ticket to both a great show with spectacular battles and a hearty dinner of tropical fruit smoothie and seafood platter. Enjoy grilled fish, smoked fish, oysters, clams, squid, and all the other wonderful seafood delicacies that this island has too offer. While you dine, the island's strongest warriors will put on riveting fights. Make some noise for these fearless warriors and have the night of your life!

9:00 PM NST – Back to Lodge

Wasn't that a fabulous day? Head back to the lodge and get some rest. Chat with your friends about your day, write in your journals, prepare tomorrow's outfit. Just be sure you don't spend the entire night up and about. You have a long day ahead of you!

11:00 PM NST – Lights out, 'nuff said!

Day Two

Stay tuned next time for the rest of the itinerary. ;)

To be continued...