Sky Tower

At 328 metres, Sky Tower is the tallest freestanding building in the southern hemisphere. It's a telecommunications and observation tower and offers stunning views of Auckland including its many harbours and volcanoes. It provides great views of Rangitoto Island where I was yesterday, which is nice because I spent much of yesterday on Rangitoto Island appreciating the great views of Sky Tower! At the top are three restaurants, an observatory, oh, and a couple of white knuckle rides!

I decided rationally on my approach to the building that Sky Jump (a base jump on a wire) is beyond the limits of my fear of heights but Sky Walk should be OK. Sky Walk is a leisurely stroll around the outside of the building on an elevated path. How nice!

Well, not really. The path is elevated 192 metres above the ground and has no handrails. It's also only one metre wide! It's visible here as the widest part of the building in the photo above.

After paying, I signed a waiver form saying Sky Tower was in no way responsible if I suffer death by falling. Then I met my guide, Wayne, who suited me up in a Guantanamo Bay-style jumpsuit before heading up to the top of the tower in a super-fast elevator.

My palms were a little sweaty but I was generally OK. No real fear. Even the glass-floored elevator didn't scare me much. In fact, it wasn't until we got outside that I realised the enormity of what I was in for. What was I doing?? I'd already asked Wayne if anyone had ever bailed out at the last minute: no, they hadn't. I could be the first!

The views across were pleasant but the views directly down scared the living shit out of me.

"Get closer to the edge," Wayne repeated a few times. "I can't!" I said with my feet planted firmly at the centre of the path. Wayne was extremely supportive, congratulating and encouraging me every time I shuffled forwards a few steps. He gave great commentary on the scenery but I was too scared to fully take on board what he was saying. I fluffed my lines every time I tried to talk. I mixed up my words and generally got into a fluster.

I struggled with everything that I am to watch Wayne get close to the edge. I even struggled when he waved his arm around to see if he could cast a shadow over the buildings below. He swung his entire body out over the edge a few times, relying on the rope to keep him from plunging 200 metres to his death. I think the point was to prove to me that it was safe. He encouraged me to do the same but I couldn't. I just couldn't!

I took a deep breath and inched slowly towards the edge, shuffling my feet forwards centimetre-by-centimetre. Wayne gave more encouragement by saying I was doing a great job. He suggested I turn around but I couldn't. How could I walk backwards when I couldn't even walk forwards? Knowing that drop was there but not being able to see it somehow made everything worse.

But I did. Somehow. For a few brief seconds. My hands and feet were sweating profusely. I don't remember feeling that scared in a long time, if ever. I attempted a smile and posed for the camera then got back to the centre of the platform as quickly as possible.


That was it for hanging over the edge. For the remainder of the 30-minute walk I clung tightly to the rope and attempted to converse with Wayne, asking questions about Auckland and nodding at his responses.

How glad I was for this ordeal to be over. It was indeed exhilarating and I'm so glad I did it. But I was glad to be back on the ground.

If the pictures above don't convey a sense of height, these pictures, taken later from inside the observatory, show clearly what Wayne and I were dangling ourselves over!