That didn't last too long, it was an amazingly sunny day, hot and not a cloud in the sky, I had cards and presents to open (thank you to everyone for sending things over), and Graham and Jo made a special birthday breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs! Bliss!
We headed into Auckland so Rod could get his last minute souveniers, before H met us, and I decided to do something crazy to celebrate being 26!
That's right, I, Kate Dorsett-Bailey, scared of heights, jumped off the Sky Tower (192m up).
As I said when Rod did it, you are harnessed to the hilt, and your drop is at a controlled speed so it is neither a bungee or a free fall, but I stand by my comment that it is maddness as it was incredibly scary! And those of you who have seen me panic on this trip already, at the Grand Canyon, the mines in Potosi etc, will understand the achievement here!
Thankfully there is no video. I was breathing very quickly at the top, clinging on to anything for dear life, and kept telling the poor guy that I couldn't do it. He suggested that I jumped backwards so I couldn't see the drop! The wind was blowing, and I kept putting him off the count down with endless excuses (maybe when the wind drops...) but eventually he counted me down and I jumped.
I let out a scream from the depths of my boots as I plummeted the 10m or so before the harness caught me and they stop you for a picture. Amazingly I am smiling, but check out the fear in my eye!.
As the fall started again I sreamed some more, whizzing wide eyed past the observatory level (I bet some tourists have some great photos!), past the restaurant (a few people put off their dinners) and eventually half way down stopped screaming and started to enjoy it!
Great fun, but don't think getting off the top would be any easier a second time!
H had to head off for the afternoon, so Rod and I returned to the house and Graham took us to Muriwai beach on the West Coast. There was a large Gannet colony there and we spent ages looking at the birds and their chicks through the Binoculars and taking lots of snaps!
Sadly, Rod had to go back home. I'm not sure who was most sorry about that him or me, but as the weather back home sounds terrible, I guess he wins. So there were a few sad goodbyes at the airport.
That evening I had a lovely birthday dinner, with H, Graham and Jo, with lots of wine and even a birthday cake! A wonderful surprise.
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