Space tourists blasting off

Nine wealthy Kiwis are ready for lift off after completing space training ahead of the world’s first commercial space flights.

The moneyed space tourists have spent $234,000 each — more than $2 million combined — on tickets on Virgin Galactic’s rocketpowered flights.

They are among 530 people worldwide who have booked seats on the suborbital flights, which will give everyday astronauts the

Slugs, snails and .

Snails top the list of bizarre foreign foods sampled by Kiwis, according to a recent survey by travel website Wotif. ‘‘Kiwis have tried everything from deep-fried tarantulas, monkey’s brains, water rats and even famous one-thousand year old eggs while travelling,’’ Wotif spokesperson Kirsty La Bruniy said. ‘‘However, it is the French delicacy of escargot that was the most popular local delicacy.’’ Reptile recipes also appealed, with crocodile, frogs legs and snake coming in second, third and fourth. Huhu grubs, crickets and grasshoppers were also all on the menu, followed by the kangaroo, horse and guinea pigs. France and Thailand were the top chance to view planets and stars from above the Earth’s atmosphere in zero gravity. House of Travel, which is a partner for the service, says the space tourists have embarked on a rigorous astronaut training program in preparation for the flights, due to start before the end of the year.

Each spacecraft seats six passengers and two pilots, and Virgin plans to eventually offer around five commercial flights a day.

. . puppy dogs’ tails?

destinations for trying local delicacies, with the homegrown Hokitika Wild Food Festival also making the list. A third of respondents said they never tried any adventurous food while on holiday – preferring to stick to what they know.