The London Eye...

[triskellian]

...is the scariest thing I've ever done voluntarily. I was so scared I spent long periods of time gripping the bench and looking no further than my knees. At the very top, I had to look at the farthest point of horizon to avoid any visual reminder that we were at the top of an enormous wheel with nothing beneath us. My heart's beating a bit faster, just writing this.

I did predict that I'd be scared, but booked the tickets anyway before I'd had a chance to think about it enough to talk myself out of it. Someone assured me that a vertigo-suffering relative hadn't been scared, and, even standing at the bottom of the enormous wheel and looking up, I was still OK. But once we were in the capsule, with the door closed, and the water beneath us, it became rapidly clear that I was going to spend most of the next half hour terrified.

smiorgan wants to go, and before I'd done it, I promised I'd go back with him. Part of me thinks there's no way I could do it again, and part of me, typically perverse, is determined to do it again to spite my phobia. Maybe next time would be better. It could hardly be worse.

Comments

[eleanorb.livejournal.com]

I had to take my best friend along to hold my hand when I went up. And I still spent most of my time sitting on the bench.

But just like you I'd like to go up again - at night next time when I don't think it would be so bad.

[triskellian]

Yeah, I had three friends with me, and only two of them were allowed to go off wandering at a time. And I couldn't get up at all until about the last five minutes. Which made the half-way need to switch sides on the bench rather undignified ;-)

I'm interested that you think nighttime would be better. I think so, too, but I suspect myself of making it up as an excuse to try again ;-)

[eleanorb.livejournal.com]

For me I think it would be the distraction of the pretty, bright lights. :-)

[al-fruitbat.livejournal.com]

My deepest sympathies. I thought I'd hate it, but in the event I was even able to enjoy the view as long as I didn't a) look down b) approach the edge of the capsule) and c) look at the wheel machinery itself.

Thus I spent my time sitting on the bench looking one way (towards the city) on the way up and the other way (towards the dome) on the way down. I was relieved to get off though.

ps - the london Aquarium is right next door, and is most woo! ;-)

[triskellian]

I did very much enjoy the short bits of view I was able to cope with (which is why I'm probably going to make myself go back).

The machinery wigged me out, too. On the way up, partly because the angle of me-to-wheel-arc reminded me that although it felt too high already, there was still a long way to go... But I expect even the worst angles to see the machinery at would have been better than the view (which of course I didn't see) of no machinery at all, right at the top.

We thought the London Aquarium was nearby, but it was almost six, and we were knackered, and I was ODing on adrenaline, so we just went home afterwards ;-)

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

If you don't want to go with smiorgan, I'll take him. (On the Eye, that is. Hehe.)

I went with lathany and my parents one year and thought it was very cool indeed.

I sympathise with your intimidation, though - I don't get scared of heights normally (as I kid I walked along the top of the Pont du Gard back before it had safety rails) and I still found my heart beating faster if I stood close to the glass, particularly for the first quarter.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

I went with lathany and my parents one year and thought it was very cool indeed.

I love the way you don't mention the whole me going into labour thing that happened two days later.

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

If it had happened on the Eye it might have got a mention, but as it is I like to keep my comments short and to the point !

[triskellian]

Wow. Are you going to take R&B there when they're older (how long is it supposed to be there? I have no idea) and tell them they've already been on it?

[triskellian]

Thanks for the offer of taking smiorgan off my hands, but the more I think about it, the more determined I am to have another go. My fear of heights is getting worse, and I'm not sure I want to let it get away with that.

But you could come anyway - it might be fun to go with a posse, and it would give smiorgan a chance to pass me on to someone else if he wants to get up and walk around ;-)

[secretrebel.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm sorry it was grim... I'm surprised that you want to do it again though. I mean, I'm all for battling phobia but mightn't pushing yourself *too* hard make them worse. I know absolutely nothing about it but the one time I got terrible vertigo I kept going up even when I knew I was hating it and still don't understand why.

Perhaps you can find a good book on working through such fears. Or maybe just a good book instead of going back up!

[triskellian]

I might go back because what I was able to see was amazing. And I think eleanorb might have a point about doing it at night. And I promised smiorgan I would (although he's released me from the promise). And because not pushing the phobia hasn't stopped it getting worse. And because I'm contrary like that - I don't want it to beat me...

[blondeccgirl.livejournal.com]

I think you should do it again, in the interests of getting over your phobia. I mean, even though it was scary, you won't have the fear of the unknown next time, and you have incentive for getting over the fear because you will actually WANT to see the view, having had a taster of it yesterday. And, you have the positive knowledge that nothing bad will happen, cos you've done it once and survived! And Like you say, it can't be any worse, right?


PS - so that bungy jump as a wedding present isn't a good idea then???

[typomatic.livejournal.com]

'grats on getting up there, and dont' worry, it's not gonna collapse just cos you're in it next time :)

Try taking a camera and looking at the view through that, might make it easier cos yo won't be able to see too much at once.