Travelling Neopia In Under 18NP A Day

      Recently I discovered a book on my shelf with the intriguing title Neopia In Under 18NP A Day, so I was wondering if this really is possible. By the way, the cover has a bit different title: Travelling Neopia In Under 17NP A Day. But never mind, it is obvious what the meaning is. The description of the book says: The ultimate poor Neopets guide to having fun in Neopia.

      The short answer of the question is yes, it is possible to have fun in Neopia with a very small budget. I'll give a explanation of why it is indeed possible.

      When you start in Neopia Central, the first thing you notice shall be the big Money Tree. A wonderful place to start as you can grab 10 items for free each day. Next to it is the Rainbow Pool: it's always fun to see a Neopet get a dip in the pool and become a different color. The Art Centre is nearby: a nice place to visit if you like arts. It has an Art Gallery to visit, you can learn How To Draw, you can get a free copy of the Neopian Times and you can listen to poems at the Poetry Contest and stories at the Story Telling corner. When leaving the Art Centre you almost stumble upon the Neolodge. They have very cheap rooms, although I assume Cockroach Towers is maybe not the best place to stay. But it is warm and dry, and it costs only 5NP per night. And you can go to the Restaurant, Burger Bar or some other facilities for just an extra 5NP per night per facility.

      Another place to have some fun is the Auction House. If you're lucky you can buy something for a bargain, and in your small budget. But it's always fun to see the other Neopians place their bids, even if you don't place a bid yourself.

      When you leave Neopia Central through the path between the Auction House and the Petpet Shop you'll enter the Neopian Bazaar: a colourful mix of shops. Although you can't buy anything in the shops there, you can look around and see all the nice things for sale there. And going further following the path, you go to the Market Place. Right beside the entrance of the Market you find a very kind faerie: the Soup Faerie. She is always kind to poor Neopians, so you can get a bowl of soup for free. The other side of the Market Place gives way to Neopia Plaza. There are also nice shops here, but not as much as at the Bazaar. As you're on a budget, I'm sure you will like the Second-Hand Shoppe where you can get wearables for free, and of course the Wishing Well. Maybe you'll be lucky and get a good item from the Well, although there are rumours that you must donate at least 21NP to get your wish from the Well. Another good place to look around is the Welcome Center. It's for free and there is enough to read.

      As you've visited everything at Neopia Central you can walk to Kiko Lake. Thankfully it's not that far. There's not much to see here, but there are three places in particular to mention: the Colouring Pages, Kiko Pop and the Glass Bottom Boat Tours. I think you can guess what to do at the Colouring Pages. Kiko Pop is a tent where Elvin is your host. You can grab a dart and throw it to a spinning board. If you're lucky you'll win a good price. The Glass Bottom Boat Tours is a pleasant way to search the wonders of Kiko Lake, and it's a free tour! The boat makes a trip every hour between 10am and sunset and there is a tour guide included. If you want you can take a swim in the Lake after the tour.

      At the other side of the water of Kiko Lake you can see a castle: Brightvale. You can walk to it although there isn't much to do for free. However, it's a very pleasant castle and so is the surrounding. When King Hagan is home you can try to impress him with your words of wisdom. As in most lands, Brightvale too has Colouring Pages.

      Next to Brightvale castle is Meridell Castle where the brother of King Hagan has his residence: King Skarl, also known as the Grumpy Old King. He can be impressed with a excellent joke. I wouldn't recommend any other places in the castle itself. Although 'Double or Nothing' is a cheap place to visit, it's very likely you'll lose money instead of earning it. The surrounding of the castle however has some lovely places to visit. You can watch the Turdle Racing, your Petpet can visit the Symol Hole, you can try to wake the Turmaculus and you can say hi to Illusen. Her quests aren't in reach for you, but a little chat is always nice. At the corner of the land of Meridell you can find the Meri Acres Farm. Maybe you can guess the weight of the massive Marrow called Old Bessie that is lying there. And I suggest to take a look at the Meridell Rubbish Dump. Sometimes you can find some exciting stuff there. Back at the fields of Meridell you see a third castle, floating in the sky: Darigan Citadel. I wouldn't suggest to try and get there. It will be difficult to reach, and although there is a truce between Meridell and Darigan, I'm not sure whether Lord Darigan is such a kind chap to visit.

      So, you'd better turn and go back, via Brightvale, to the open field. When you walk further you're able to visit Faerieland, as this land is still on the ground instead of floating in the sky as it was in the past. If you're not feeling well you can go to the Healing Springs and hope for a recovery. You can always take a dip in the Rainbow Fountain, but the magic is most of the time not working. It's still enjoyable water to swim in! When walking around you probably will notice a sad Grundo Plushie hanging in a tree: the Discarded Magical Blue Grundo Plushie of Prosperity. You can talk to him, and maybe he hands you something in reward. Now it's time to go further to Faerie City. Here you can visit some shops for a quick look, you can do a Personality Quiz (which faerie suits me best?) and of course there are Colouring Pages.

      After leaving Faerieland you see a forest, the Haunted Woods. If you're brave enough you can visit it and wander around, but I can imagine you wouldn't feel comfortable in this forest. But, if you decide to walk further, there are some good places to visit. First of all there are of course Colouring Pages, but you can also make Neopet Masks! As you walk further you can visit the Deserted Fairground, also a spooky place, and you can visit Castle Nox. Back in the Woods you discover a Gypsy Camp, and a path that leads to Neovia. There, in Neovia, is Bart and he has an Apple Bobbing Tank where you can bob for apples. And you can go into the Grave Danger if you're Petpet is brave enough.

      Well, if you're still alive I suggest you leave the Haunted Woods and go to the Lost Desert with it's Pyramids. There, hidden in the Desert, you can visit the Shrine of Coltzan. Maybe he has a little gift for you if you visit him. You can look around in Qasala and in Sakhmet. In Sakhmet you'll find the Colouring Pages and also the Fruit Machine. May the fruit ever be in your favour!

      To visit the next land of Neopia you'll have to walk quite a distance and climb mountains, to Altador. Before entering the city itself you see the Restive Tomb. Unfortunately you can't visit it. In the city there is a big building: the Hall of Heroes. It's worth a visit! It is a monument to the great legends of Altador, with enormous statues. Looking further you might discover the Council Chamber. Maybe there's someone around, that would be nice. If you can find them you can take the stairs to the Observatory where you can try to watch the stars. You'll probably also meet the janitor in the Hall of Heroes. He is grumpy, but not too bad to handle. In the city you can also visit the Altadorian Archives: lots of books and other interesting things. And of course there is the Colosseum, home of the Altador Cup! Every year in the month of Relaxing the Altador Cup teams of all the lands of Neopia are playing their games to decide who takes the Altador Cup home that year. If you can, you must go to a match and watch it. When you leave the city you can say hi to Farmer Follies and his family at the Old Follies Farm, near the windmill.

      Going further north you will be able to visit Shenkuu, lying high in the mountains. It's a nice place to look around, but if you're on a budget there's not much to visit, just the Lunar Temple on top of the highest mountain. You'll meet the wise Gnorbu there and he will ask you to track the movement of Kreludor. So take the challenge and have a try!

      After visiting these lands in Neopia you have to be lucky to borrow a boat or you can go with someone else on a boat, because all the other lands cannot be reached with only walking. If you were that lucky, further north is Terror Mountain. It's a cold place, but so enjoyable to visit. The Happy Valley has a ice skating ring, maybe you can try skating around? There are Gift Tags to get, and in the month of Celebrating you can visit the Advent Calendar each day for a lovely gift. In the Ice Caves you can find the Colouring Pages. Enjoy the view of all the sliding pets and Petpets there. If you're brave enough you can try to snatch some treasure in the cave of the Snowager. You can go to the Top of the Mountain after you've left the Ice Caves, but it's constantly snowing there, so it will probably be freezing cold.

      You can walk to Tyrannia after your visit to the Terror Mountain, just head east and you'll find it. The first place to go is Tyrammet Village, a small village in the Jungle. Next to Tyrammet are the Cave Paintings. Take a look around before going to the Tyrannian Plateau. The best place at the Plateau for a poor Neopian is the Giant Omelette. You can take a piece for free! Be careful of the Lair of the Beast! You can enter his cave, if you're curious what's inside.

      After leaving Tyrannia you need again a boat to visit the remaining lands of Neopia: Maraqua, Moltara, Lutari Island, Mystery Island, Krawk Island and Roo Island.

      Assuming you'll be able to borrow a boat, the first island you'll visit is Maraqua. To be precise it's not an island, but an underwater world! Take a look at the Ruins with the Colouring Pages and Ye Olde Fishing Vortex where you can start fishing in the cavern.

      The next place to visit is Moltara. It's not an island, it's lying deep beneath the surface of Neopia. I'm not sure how to reach it, maybe by boat and take a tunnel to Moltara? But if you manage to get there, you can meet the mayor at the Town Hall. Take a look in the Caves where the Magma Pool is. Igneot's Cavern can be visited and you can ask him a question. And you can go to The Gilded Page!

      Lutari Island can't be visited! It's very hard to track because it's never in the same place twice. And the whole island is covered in a kind of mist.

      Mystery Island on the other hand can be visited! The island has friendly people which you can meet. You'll arrive at the Harbour. Take a look at the Beach and see the Tiki Tours leaving (unfortunately it's just over budget to participate). The Lost City of Geraptiku is a bit creepy place, with the Colouring Pages and the Deserted Tomb. Next to Geraptiku is a small island where the Island Mystic lives. He will tell you your fortune, well, sort of. At Mystery Island you'll also find the Training School where pets can be trained. Take a look around, listen to the wisdom of the Techo Master and view the Training Video that's played. The Haiku Generator is the place where a friendly Kougra makes a Haiku every day. Furthermore the Tombola Guy allows you to grab a tombola ticket which sometimes gives you a prize. Last but not least there is a funny guy to visit at this island: the Shop Wizard. You can find him at the middle of the Island Market.

      The next island to visit is Krawk Island. Be careful there, it's loaded with pirates! The Academy is a place where pets can be trained, just like the Training School at Mystery Island, but it's only for basic training. The Smugglers Cove is a bit scary place, but a bit further at the beach you'll find the Forgotten Shore, worth a visit. In the hills you'll find the Dubloon-O-Matic. A funny looking thing, so I'll suggest you take a look. The Governor's Mansion can be visited; maybe the Governor himself guides you through the Mansion. And there is of course the Warf Wharf where you can find the Colouring Pages. Next to Krawk Island there is a small island, but that can't be visited.

      The last island is Roo Island, which is close to Neopia Central. Roo Island has an Art Gallery, just like Neopia Central has. There are Colouring Pages, Art to look at, Poems and Stories to be told. And you can learn How to Draw at Roo Island. The Merry Go Round is unfortunately over budget, but still nice to see. And perhaps you can play Dice-A-Roo. It costs only 5NP per game, but it's quite addictive, so maybe it's wise not to begin playing.

      After leaving Roo Island you can return to Neopia Central, the place where you started this journey.

      There are still a few places left, but you can't visit them: the moon Kreludor and the Virtupets Space Station. Both need a rocket or something like that to become there. And there is of course Jelly World, a place that doesn't exist!

      I hope you enjoyed the tour around Neopia and you can agree: yes, you can travel in Neopia and have fun, even if you're poor!