New Zealand is well known for being a bit of a hot spot for extreme sports, but when you think of Auckland, it doesn’t immediately pop as being a hub for adrenaline-fuelled excitement. Yet those players who have flown out here for the ANZPT Auckland will soon discover this week, that action in Auckland is not just confined to the poker felt.
In fact, there are extreme thrills right here on the doorstep of the SKYCITY Auckland Casino.
First, let take a walk just one block down the road to where the flow of CBD buildings is broken by a carpark where you’ll also find a little something called the “Sky Screamer”.
It’s basically a metal cage strapped to a couple of bungy ropes, that looks innocent enough sitting on the ground. Up to three people strap themselves into the contraption, before the ropes are tightened and then released to launch the cage into the air reverse-bungy style. The Sky Screamer website claims speeds of 200kph in just two seconds! At just $40, this is a cheap and quick way to relieve the stresses of a tough poker day.
If you’d prefer your bungy hurtling towards the ground rather than shooting for the stars, then the Sky Tower is your best bet this week.
Located right here as part of the SKYCITY Casino (you may have noticed that huge tower), the Sky Tower stands an impressive 328 metres tall and is the tallest man-made structure in all of New Zealand.
The views are obviously stunning and can be enjoyed at a more relaxed pace on the SkyWalk at 192 metres high. There are also a couple of great restaurants up there, including Orbit which is Auckland’s only 360-degree revolving restaurant.
The main attraction is of course the SkyJump where you can launch yourself towards the Earth with a rush that is like no other. This experience is usually best saved for when you’ve been eliminated from the Main Event, probably by a disgusting bad beat. The game of poker can drive any person to the point of wanting to launch themselves off the tallest nearby building – at least here in Auckland you can make sure there is a rope attached!
Heath “TassieDevil” Chick is a Freelance Contributor for the PokerStars Blog.
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