As a first time visitor to the Seattle area we had to take a ride up the Space Needle. A majestic icon for the area, it is amazing to look at from the ground as well as the sky. As a major tourist attraction the lines were long and the elevator packed. I was stuffed in first and pushed up against the windows of the elevator on the way up. At first I felt elated to have front row seats for the climb up the high-rise, but soon I became quite ill. The combination of vertigo and claustrophobia was enough to make me feel faint. I felt weak in my knees for the rest of the visit even after leaving the elevator. Being outside on the Space Needle viewing deck is also a little brain warbling with the winds and the heights. Not one to normally feel these sensations, I was surprised by my uneasiness. Pushing all that aside… I did enjoy the views from inside behind the windows, far away from the elevator!
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