Alongside the town of Banff in Alberta, Canada, you''ll find Sulphur Mountain. A gondola - cable car - carries visitors up to the summit at 2,281m (7,486 ft) above sea level.
We decide we'll get the cable car up and walk down.
Husband to boy on ticket desk, 'Four singles, please.'
Boy-on-ticket-desk, 'Sorry, you can only buy singles at the top.'
Husband, 'But we want to get the cable car up and walk down.'
Boy-on-ticket-desk, 'We only sell singles at the top because it's easier to walk up than it is to walk down.'
We go into a huddle and discuss this logic. We decide he has an honest face and we'll walk up.
When we must be three-quarters of the way up at least I ask a hiker on his way down, 'Are we nearly there?'
'Oh, no, you're not even halfway there yet.'
I would swear at Husband but I am polite. And I must save my air to breathe.
As the path zig-zags under the overhead cable cars, I think how terribly unlucky someone would be if they were killed by a falling cable-car. I make a point of running - okay, walking faster - underneath the wires.
When we reach the summit all I want is a bed, intravenous tea and an oxygen mask. I don't care it's a world heritage site.
In the cafe we plan what we will do to the boy-in-ticket-desk. 
Then it's time to go down. In the cable car. Now this is the bit I am really not looking forward to. This is going to be SCARY!
Yes, that's me squeaking even though I had my eyes closed as we disappeared in the void. But I did open them later and here's the shadow of our cable-car on the trees - a photo taken by me! Wasn't I brave?!
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28 comments:
wow! that view, it was worth it :0)
I can't imagine walking up there, even walking down is no picnic. Hope you have finally caught your breath!
Walking downhill is hard on the knees. But you should have the option.
I tooks ome pictures looking down. Actually, I took some holing my camera over a railing pointed down and looking afterward--at the picture. But I then found a whole different take...
Go on, it was worth the climb and look at that view.
Mind you, I would use the cable car both ways now. Once I would have walked up.
You're a braver man than I am, Gunga Din. There's no way you'd get me in one of those things. I prefer my feet on terra very firma!
If they had cruise ships going to NZ like in the 50s and 60s, I'd be on one of those rather than in a thin metal tube held up by the grace of God!
I think I'd have gone up and down in the cable car! Save all my energy for the view.
Bloody hell!
Well done!
What did you do the boy?
Ooh that was well worth the exhaustion to get sights like that Liz!
ewwwwwww, scary ride indeed!!!
Mine's posted too, if you can find time to stop by. Happy weekend.
What a great view. That is very high up!
That sounds like quite an adventure. Beautiful shots.
Oh Liz! If only you'd phoned and asked me what to do! lol I'm sure the view was well worth it once you caught your breath and your heart stopped pumping at triple time. Did you know you can walk up Grouse Mountain here? But only the fit and foolish do it. We took the skyride up AND down!
Very weird those Canadians. I think I would have bought a return and thrown the other half away. Was it worth the saving? Happy weekend Liz.
That's rather high up for anyone who likes the solid ground! You guys sure were brave! And what a view!!
Thanks for dropping by my blog too.
I'll bet the take off was the scariest part.
I have actually found some of the steeper paths are easier to go up than down.
Funny description! I would have been very mad at that ticket boy too. I probably would have just gone up and down on the cable car. I've done hikes too, where the people who work there told us "the easy" way" to go. Their definition of "easy" is not mine. Thanks for stopping by mine :)
I think I'd be too scared to ride down in that! But after walking all the way up, I'm sure it was nice just to sit down. Beautiful view!
Yeha, that qualifies as scary. What a ride! And what a hike! Thanks for visiting my hunt!
I'd rather ride the cable up and down... I heard that its about 3- hour on an average to go up the mountains.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
you are one brave woman! but i laughed at this - When we reach the summit all I want is a bed, intravenous tea and an oxygen mask. I don't care it's a world heritage site. :-D
Heights are scary, but I bet the ride back felt better than the walk! Thanks for visiting my PhotoHunt.
been in singapore for over 7years now, but i've never dared to try the cable car here ... even if everyone reassures me that there has never been any reports of any accidents ... i would always say, i wouldn't want to be the first casualty *_*
That's a wonderful scary post Liz! I bet you found those stunning views worth the hike up, in the end! (But that single-ticket-selling policy does defy logic...)
Great story! And I would have squeaked too :)
The way that tape ends all of a sudden makes me think it is a tape that the accident investigators might uncover in the tangled wreckage of a cable car. Some sweet lady's final utterances. Perhaps you were thinking the same thing at the time?
Baker
LOL...I would need a sherpa to carry me up that hill...I enjoyed this one..
Beautiful pics.. scary most of them... Those views
OMW, that is REALLY scary! I am VERY afraid of heights, so that would be my worst nightmare! You are very brave indeed.
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