weeklyTRAVEL
Wheelie
An insider’s guide to… Invercargill
TIP: Airport taxis are in high demand, so book before you arrive. LOCAL FLAVOUR: For a gourmet pie fix, be sure to visit Fat Bastard Pies. WHERE TO STAY: Rest your head at a classic Kiwi motel such as Balmoral Lodge Motel, where the pillows are super comfy.
Kylie pipes up, then works off the chocolate in Queens Park (above). Below right: Fashion made from WOF labels!
KYLIE HALL REALLY DIGS OUR SOUTHERNMOST CITY
C
ars, engines and all that guff do not generally get my motor running, so I’m not expecting much when I step through the doors of Transport World in Invercargill. But this popular city attraction turns out to be one of the most cleverly designed exhibits in the country. Created by passionate local Bill Richardson and his family, it boasts grand old vintage trucks, cars, and motorhead bits and bobs, but in addition – and here’s the clever part – there’s fashion from its annual Neptune Ball, featuring gowns crafted from things such as
WOF labels, as well as quirky and creative loos, fantastic photo opps (including a jailbird dress-up), a massive Lego room for the kids to tinker in, and a movie theatre screening classics such as Goodbye Pork Pie, which of course brings together cars and Invercargill. Mum, Dad and the kids, all sorted for fun in one fabulous place! Very clever. At one o’clock in the afternoon, I find myself being breath-tested! Not to worry, it’s all part of the safety session as I gear up to get my hands on some heavy machinery at Dig This, the city’s famous construction theme park. If you ever feel in need of a confidence boost, get yourself on one of these monsters, feel the power and let the endorphins surge! My instructor Lex tells me that women, with their smoother, gentler approach, often beat the blokes when it comes to the skills tests. It’s a real coordination challenge to get these massive machines moving, and I glow with pride – and squeal a little
