PART 1
A slightly different report from me and quite a story...I promise you !
Its a long one, so I suggest you settle back with a cuppa before reading it.
Apologies for the incredibly poor shots , but I didnt have a camera with me, these are just 'screen grabs' from the video.
"
Sometimes you get a crazy idea....one you can't get out of your head no matter what you do.
Suppressing that can often be worse than just going ahead and getting on with doing 'it'.
I've had one or two or those crazy ideas....as those who know me can credit me for. Sometimes those ideas result in posts and pictures here, sometimes not.
I had the idea for this one over a year ago.
First time I saw some pictures, it screamed out 'wow' to me....it has that affect, its physical stature, location and sheer height over its surroundings.
I spoke with Palace about it many times, We spent the best part of an explore at Battersea Power Station going over and over it...and what started as a crazy idea started to flesh out into an actual plan.
The plan was for an urban exploration of the tower and a BASE jump....on the same visit.
Due to the security and weather conditions, the timetable for it had to be fluid...we would have to go when the time was right and we wouldn't have a lot of notice.
When that time came, alas, Palace wasn't able to get the time to join me, so the plan was altered for a 'solo' affair.
No sweat there, you know I know that drill.
With the date in mind, it was difficult to see rising interest in this project by 'others'.
My plan was already in motion....and I hoped others 'plans' didn't interfere with that too much. My nervousness in others interests in the Burj Dubai was calmed by the fact that talk is cheap, and a trip to the Middle East is expensive. (In money and risk)
I've always had a lot of respect for those who step above and beyond their comfort factor....step outside of that arena where they know the score, that's growth and progression, but it's often scary and as such it's a difficult step for many to take (sometimes too difficult a step to take)
Look around the net you'll find tones of resources on everything, including plans, schematics and updates on this project.
I don't go into anything without some planning first and this was no exception. I already had detailed info on the city, construction site, the tower, work schedules, likley legal outcomes and repercussions if caught.
I went in with my eyes wide open.
Close to leaving I heard on the grapevine someone had already jumped from it....initial concern that would 'close' down the object were not founded, they did a good job, and that along with the fact it didn't change my plans at all, reassured me I was doing it for the right reasons... for me, not for any accolade or other reward.
My first night in Dubai I was out down the main strip (Sheikh Zayed Expressway)......the number of tall buildings here, built and under construction is simply staggering.No words can do it justice at all.
I would recommend you DONT drive down this road for the first time though.....driving in Dubai is dangerous enough already and I guarantee you won't be looking at the road ahead, your jaw will be on the floor and your gaze craning skyward at the sheer volume of high buildings on either side of the road.
Its a 'High Places' and 'Cranic's' dream city......the only problem being, security is often abundant because most construction here is 24/7......it very rarely stops.
So just when you are giggling like a school kid at the UE opportunities around you, then you sees it... The Burj Dubai, its green and white crane lights blinking above everything else.
Seeing just how tall it stands above what are already huge skyscrapers around it just immediately commands your respect and its a feeling no picture can ever get close to ....you have to be there, see it and feel its presence.
The Burj Dubai itself is more or less in the middle of a HUGE urban development called 'Downtown Burj Dubai' When its completed there will be 100 skyscrapers ( each over 30 floors)....and have the worlds largest shopping mall....how crazy is that ??
Site recce's and perimeter walk arounds were done for the next two days .....I needed to be sure my intel matched up to the layout.
Preparations were made and it was a three day wait for suitable conditions, there was plenty of other opportunities around to pass the time
If you don't know my 'MO' by now....it's something I don't mind sharing with you.
I believe most entry to most places is possible just using your eyes and your head...look for the holes, look for the gaps and seize the opportunities.
Access to the tower itself involved a costume change and a stealthy infiltration into the huge site the Burj Dubai is in the middle of.
The primary objective of this visit was to jump, so I only had my video cam with me, not my stills camera and lens's
Its a live site working 24hours, so even being extremely careful in the dark and shadows I was nearly caught several times by workers just appearing from no where, however my workers uniform and face make up worked the business in the dark....I had very close encounters with at least two workers, but as we passed each other....much to my relief, I blended in as one of them, rather than stand out.
I had a giddy excitement at the bottom of the tower.....it had taken nearly two hours from entering the outer perimeter to get there and now it was in front of me.
There were workers beavering away in the tower, but there were several stairwells to choose from, and so and they were easily avoided.
The inside is very much like what we see back home...just bigger!
The lower levels are just so big but the higher levels are surprisingly 'compact'
Over the next two hours I trudged up the stairs......lots of them! Occasionally stopping to explore the levels and check out the views.
After 156 levels I was at the top of the concrete structure and then climbed up the exposed steel work levels until I was at the very top ( 160 then I think.)
"
At the Base of the beast
Last look back before going in
A slightly different report from me and quite a story...I promise you !
Its a long one, so I suggest you settle back with a cuppa before reading it.
Apologies for the incredibly poor shots , but I didnt have a camera with me, these are just 'screen grabs' from the video.
"
Sometimes you get a crazy idea....one you can't get out of your head no matter what you do.
Suppressing that can often be worse than just going ahead and getting on with doing 'it'.
I've had one or two or those crazy ideas....as those who know me can credit me for. Sometimes those ideas result in posts and pictures here, sometimes not.
I had the idea for this one over a year ago.
First time I saw some pictures, it screamed out 'wow' to me....it has that affect, its physical stature, location and sheer height over its surroundings.
I spoke with Palace about it many times, We spent the best part of an explore at Battersea Power Station going over and over it...and what started as a crazy idea started to flesh out into an actual plan.
The plan was for an urban exploration of the tower and a BASE jump....on the same visit.
Due to the security and weather conditions, the timetable for it had to be fluid...we would have to go when the time was right and we wouldn't have a lot of notice.
When that time came, alas, Palace wasn't able to get the time to join me, so the plan was altered for a 'solo' affair.
No sweat there, you know I know that drill.
With the date in mind, it was difficult to see rising interest in this project by 'others'.
My plan was already in motion....and I hoped others 'plans' didn't interfere with that too much. My nervousness in others interests in the Burj Dubai was calmed by the fact that talk is cheap, and a trip to the Middle East is expensive. (In money and risk)
I've always had a lot of respect for those who step above and beyond their comfort factor....step outside of that arena where they know the score, that's growth and progression, but it's often scary and as such it's a difficult step for many to take (sometimes too difficult a step to take)
Look around the net you'll find tones of resources on everything, including plans, schematics and updates on this project.
I don't go into anything without some planning first and this was no exception. I already had detailed info on the city, construction site, the tower, work schedules, likley legal outcomes and repercussions if caught.
I went in with my eyes wide open.
Close to leaving I heard on the grapevine someone had already jumped from it....initial concern that would 'close' down the object were not founded, they did a good job, and that along with the fact it didn't change my plans at all, reassured me I was doing it for the right reasons... for me, not for any accolade or other reward.
My first night in Dubai I was out down the main strip (Sheikh Zayed Expressway)......the number of tall buildings here, built and under construction is simply staggering.No words can do it justice at all.
I would recommend you DONT drive down this road for the first time though.....driving in Dubai is dangerous enough already and I guarantee you won't be looking at the road ahead, your jaw will be on the floor and your gaze craning skyward at the sheer volume of high buildings on either side of the road.
Its a 'High Places' and 'Cranic's' dream city......the only problem being, security is often abundant because most construction here is 24/7......it very rarely stops.
So just when you are giggling like a school kid at the UE opportunities around you, then you sees it... The Burj Dubai, its green and white crane lights blinking above everything else.
Seeing just how tall it stands above what are already huge skyscrapers around it just immediately commands your respect and its a feeling no picture can ever get close to ....you have to be there, see it and feel its presence.
The Burj Dubai itself is more or less in the middle of a HUGE urban development called 'Downtown Burj Dubai' When its completed there will be 100 skyscrapers ( each over 30 floors)....and have the worlds largest shopping mall....how crazy is that ??
Site recce's and perimeter walk arounds were done for the next two days .....I needed to be sure my intel matched up to the layout.
Preparations were made and it was a three day wait for suitable conditions, there was plenty of other opportunities around to pass the time
If you don't know my 'MO' by now....it's something I don't mind sharing with you.
I believe most entry to most places is possible just using your eyes and your head...look for the holes, look for the gaps and seize the opportunities.
Access to the tower itself involved a costume change and a stealthy infiltration into the huge site the Burj Dubai is in the middle of.
The primary objective of this visit was to jump, so I only had my video cam with me, not my stills camera and lens's
Its a live site working 24hours, so even being extremely careful in the dark and shadows I was nearly caught several times by workers just appearing from no where, however my workers uniform and face make up worked the business in the dark....I had very close encounters with at least two workers, but as we passed each other....much to my relief, I blended in as one of them, rather than stand out.
I had a giddy excitement at the bottom of the tower.....it had taken nearly two hours from entering the outer perimeter to get there and now it was in front of me.
There were workers beavering away in the tower, but there were several stairwells to choose from, and so and they were easily avoided.
The inside is very much like what we see back home...just bigger!
The lower levels are just so big but the higher levels are surprisingly 'compact'
Over the next two hours I trudged up the stairs......lots of them! Occasionally stopping to explore the levels and check out the views.
After 156 levels I was at the top of the concrete structure and then climbed up the exposed steel work levels until I was at the very top ( 160 then I think.)
"
At the Base of the beast
Last look back before going in
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