TRAVEL

weekly TRAVEL

Kylie pipes up, then works off the chocolate in Queens Park (above). Below right: Fashion made from WOF labels!

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 HALL REALLY DIGS OUR SOUTHERNMOST CITY

Cars, 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

A moody sunset at Bluff Hill.

GOOD

too –as I manoeuvre a bulldozer beast up and over a gravel hill. Mini diggers and games mean there’s plenty to keep younger minds and hands entertained too. The pinnacle of fear and fun, though, comes when I raise a 15-tonne digger onto its hind tracks and perform a perfect “handstand”. I’m fully focused and screaming my head off all at the same time, and I’ve got the photo to prove it! Adrenaline under control, I make my way to my version of heaven –a chocolate-making class at The Seriously Good Chocolate Company, where not only will I learn to make scrummy delights, but I’ll get to scoff them too! Ingredients here include dried Central Otago pinot noir grape skins and delicious freeze-dried berries, and owner Jane is a ball of vivacious visionary energy. Guided by Jane’s right-hand woman Heather, I soon have my hands holding a moulding tray under a fountain of chocolate. Yum! Once set, I steady my hand and fill the cases with salted caramel gorgeous gooeyness, before capping them off. Someone has been clicking away behind the camera, catching me in action, and as we celebrate our newfound skills with a divine dessert platter, I’m farewelled with hugs and treats and presented with a wonderful personalised chocolate box featuring pics of yours truly. The tastiest souvenir ever! Sneakers on, I jog over to Queens Park and whip around the fitness circuit in a feeble attempt to burn off at least one yummy chocolate. With its towering trees and flourishing flowers, this is my kind of gym. As dusk descends, a drive up steep Bluff Hill provides spectacular views overlooking Stewart Island. It’s blustery, moody and invigorating, a fab finish to a fab weekend away. Above and left: Transport World is a treat, down to its car-themed loos. Below: Kylie’s tiptop digger skills.