SKYTOWER
The Sky Tower is a symbol of Auckland and it is located in downtown. It is 328m high, the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere. It costs NZ$22 to go up to the Main Observation Level, which was at 186m high. You can get there by lift in about 40 seconds. For an extra fee, NZ$3, you can go up to the Sky Deck, which was at an even higher level, 220m.

Main Observation Level
Is a main viewing deck. Parts of the floor along the window of the Main Observation Level was glass, 38mm thick. I was standing on the glass floor and looking down onto the street, below my feet. I was so terrified my knees were shaking!

You can see the 197m sky jump, which is the highest jump in New Zealand.

Sky Deck
It was a great place with the amazing 360 degree views of Auckland and the surrounding area.
center:
Looking West over a harbor toward the Waitakere Ranges.
right:
Looking East over a harbor toward Rangitoto Island. In the distance is the volcanic island of Rangitoto. Rangitoto Island was formed from an eruption, 600 years ago. The latest eruption was about 250 years ago.

There was an external platform on the Sky Deck. Just thinking about standing on the platform made me shiver! Of course you aren't allowed to stand on it.

Emergency Exit
I enjoyed the view from the Sky Deck for a while and then pushed down the elevator button. But the elevator didn't come up. After a while, a woman also pushed down the elevator button and waited. But it didn't come up! Other people on the floor also pushed it but nothing happened. We were all stuck on the Sky Deck! After about 20 minutes later, we started to become nervous. A staff member came up by using the emergency staircase. He said, "The elevator is out of order, so please walk down to the Main Observation Level. It is an easy walking distance." I heard that there were more than 1200 steps to the base of the Sky Tower from the Sky Deck. I was glad that we only had to walk down to the Main Observation Level and not to the base of the Sky Tower. Most of all, I was really glad that we weren't stuck inside the elevator!