Over The Edge

The photo above isn’t the most spectacular I’ve ever taken. It’s perhaps not even obvious as to what it is at first glance. It’s the view you get from the top of the Angel of Independence looking down. A long way down….

I don’t much like heights. And the Angel’s balcony isn’t the best place to be if you don’t like heights. The ledge is very narrow. Although what I really didn’t like is the fact that, with people behind and in front of you, you can’t move. The choice of returning down is taken away from you.  If they hadn’t been there, I’d have been happier! I’d have gotten more photos too.

Sure, there’s a railing to keep you in, but it still looks a long way down, and accidents happen. And a fall from this distance never has a pleasant ending. In fact there was a lady up there with me who can testify to that from personal experience.

But most of all, I shouldn’t have looked down. I’ve got a camera with a flip screen, and I didn’t make use of it! Heights give me the heebejeebies. The most creepy memory I have of 9/11 wasn’t of planes crashing and buildings collapsing, which feel more Hollywood than Al Qaeda with the passing of time. It’s of the shots of people standing right at the edges of the holes blown into the buildings.

I sometimes wonder if a single one of them thought of Alain Robert, the French ‘Spiderman’ building climber, and thought of giving it a go. A hell of an initiation into the world of climbing. And he pretty much exclusively climbs in an upward direction – not a good direction that September morning. But did any of them think of it?

It’s not that I avoid heights though. If I see a tall building, I feel the urge to go up it in fact. The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpar, Torre Major and Sears tower….although I’m not convinced I’d step out onto the new glass box they’ve put into the latter. Althought the freakiest building I’ve ever been to the top of is the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, where the glass windows slant outwards, which play optical tricks on your mind!

I like climbing mountains too. I’ve fine with them. I think it’s all about being in control of a situation. How do I describe it? Like this perhaps. I have no problem jumping on a motorbike and riding at a 1000mph. But I won’t ride pillion at more than 20mph before insisting I get off. I prefer to be in control of the situation. I don’t trust people….!

Meh. Everyone has a least one little paranoia.