Eureka!

On Monday I took an early lunch and met my mum and Peter and the kids for a jaunt up onto the Eureka Skydeck. My mum had won tickets for four, but didn’t want to go up herself.

The lift had buttons for 1, 2, 86, 87 and 88. Hmm. The automated voice reckoned we were going up at 9 metres per second. Once the doors opened, we saw the view — impressive to say the least.

Quite spectacular views across the bay, along the river, and over the city. Toy trains and cars moved around below us.

The prize included tickets to The Edge — that vulnerable-looking glass box that you get in and it slides out so it’s sticking outside the building and you can look in any direction — including down.

From the nearby verandah, which was isolated from the main deck by an airlock, and damn windy, we saw it slide out. And having read Rob’s description recently, I was keen to go on it.

But there was a queue of at least 15 minutes — at least they say 15 minutes, but they really mean 30+ minutes — and I had to get back to work. And the kids were… uneasy about it. Peter stayed and queued, and enjoyed it — but the rest of us declined and scarpered. I definitely want to try it another time.

On the way down, the lift automated voice revealed that in high winds, the top of the building would move up to 60cm. I think I’m glad I didn’t know that on the way up.