Getting High

Of course, the first time Chai invited me to try "skywalking", I knew nothing would stop me from saying yes -- not my planner's contents or the seemingly imperfect weather. Soon enough, we invited two other friends. So it was agreed upon, rendezvous at 7:00 PM.

Chai, Kia, Niña and I arrived at Crown Regency Hotel at around 9:00 PM and took a few detours (including the Sky Observatory where there were coin-operated telescopes), then proceeded to the 37th floor. Crown Regency's Sky Walk Extreme allows one to walk the outer rim of the hotel tower on a see-through flooring with no hand rails, 430 feet above the ground. There is nothing to be afraid of, though, because each person will be hooked on an overhead safety harness system, pretty much the same as the one used in movie stunts.

After signing a waiver we were asked to remove all accessories and place it in a locker. No, you're not allowed to bring your own camera so leave it there. We were then ushered to the dressing area where groovy orange jumpsuits were hanging on a rack. Thankfully there was one for someone as tall as I am. (Insider's Tip: Wear sneakers so you won't be forced to borrow their shoes. Or at least bring socks. Bring an extra shirt, too.)

There were only four of us so we had to be joined by another set of "skywalkers". The giving of instructions passed by in a blur... No pushing. No walking backwards. Blah blah blah... The wearing of an overhead harness... Another set of instructions... and then finally, FINALLY, we were lead out to the ledge and embarked on our sky walk adventure! It's a spine-tingling experience to walk into the edge of the glass floor. The feeling of being alive enveloped me suddenly as cold wind whipped my hair. In between having pictures taken by our paparazzi of the night (the official photographer and "rescue team" that follow us around), there was time to relax and enjoy the panoramic view of Cebu City. Being so high above the ground and seeing everything is liberating. I wonder how it would have turned out if we had it during the day. The depth would probably have been more obvious.

After 15-minute trip, we each got a certificate to remind us of the day we walked around the perimeter of Crown Regency Hotel 37 floors above the ground. And (more importantly) we got the CD copy of the pictures, which were an additional cost, but we don't really have much of a choice, do we?