Ascending Auckland

"JUST hang on to both the poles."

A simple enough instruction were it not for the fact that a) said poles were just slightly too far apart for me to even reach, and b) said poles were at the edge of a platform that was 192 metres above Auckland's Federal Street.

I was about to SkyJump off the SkyTower.


AUCKLAND, New Zealand is very similar to Sydney, Australia: both cities have a harbour with a famous bridge crossing it, have a big tower in the centre of town, and despite both being their country's largest and best-known cities, neither is the capital.

There are some hefty differences as well though, with Auckland covering the isthmus that links the main part of the North Island with the north-western peninsula. According to Wikipedia Auckland is also the "only city in the world built on a basaltic volcanic field that is still active", something I only found out for the first time at the excellent Auckland War Memorial Museum at the top of the Auckland Domain. A trip here can take a large chunk out of your day, with exhibitions ranging from New Zealand native flora and fauna to cultures of the Pacific Islands to an exhibition on volcanoes and just what would happen if Auckland suddenly erupted.

In a vain attempt to get this cheery thought out of my head (the museum is actually built at the top of its own volcano, Pukekawa) I went upstairs for a look at the War Memorial section. As the brother, son and nephew of Defence personnel I always find these places quite moving. Auckland's War Memorial included details of New Zealand's military involvements over the years (including the Boer War, World War I and World War II), while the Scars on the Heart exhibition showed the human cost of armed conflict.

The rest of the Auckland Domain is well worth a look. Near the War Memorial Museum are the Wintergardens, two glasshouses that contain a wide range of temperate and tropical plants; other highlights include the cherry groves and the walking paths throughout the parklands.

Good food in Auckland can still be quite cheap. The area around Fort Street has some quality cheap eats; if you're after something with a little more class then the Viaduct not only has some America's Cup winning yachts, but also a number of bars and restaurants that fulfil the base needs at reasonable prices. The Britomart area between Customs Street and the harbour is also being redeveloped with a number of boutique stores and restaurants already in operation. If you're after a dessert meal, Giapo on Queen Street is expensive and often has a line-up - but if you want something unique and tasty, go no further. Not for here the regular two scoops in a regular cone; instead even the cones are a work of art.

For budget accommodation there are a number of backpacker hostels on Fort Street as well as the apartment-style offerings of Auckland Harbour Oaks; head over the other side of Queen Street for the Stamford Plaza and the Crowne Plaza. There's also the SkyCity Hotel if you want to stay at the Southern Hemisphere's tallest structure or be close to the SkyCity Casino.

It's here then that I find myself grasping wildly for a pole on my left while trying not to fall off down to the street below. The instructor eventually gets me to hold onto another rope, which rather than reassuring me feels about as useful as a chocolate bar while drowning.

I'm told that at the count of three to let go and jump off. I'm not sure how I'm still standing, how I talked myself into this in the first place when I'm scared of heights, when the countdown begins.

"3, 2, 1, GO!"

Somehow I jump and am rewarded with a controlled descent to ground level, landing safely on the big red target at the bottom. A few deep breaths and loosening of the harness and it's time to look up again - the two that "volunteered" me to go first now have to jump. This should be fun...