Jars filled with buttons. Kneecaps. Tomatoes. There’s no better time than the present to face up to your fears, so pick the thing that creeps you out most, and take a tour of these spots around Auckland.
If you are afraid of heights, force yourself to visit...
The Skytower
Feel nervous in high-up places? At 328 metres, the Skytower is the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand. Looking out over the city from a viewing platform might be enough for you, but if you’d like to really terrify yourself, try the SkyWalk or SkyJump off the tower, where you’ll fall at 85kph for around 11 seconds.
If you are afraid of creepy crawlies like spiders or reptiles, force yourself to visit...
Butterfly Creek
With saltwater crocodiles, lizards and spiders galore, Butterfly Creek in Mangere is an awesome day out for most, but an arachnophobic’s or ophidiophobic’s worst nightmare. They also have one of the largest insects in the world on display, the rare wetapunga, or giant weta, which are found only in the wild on Little Barrier Island and can weigh as much as a sparrow.
If you are afraid of sheep, force yourself to visit...
SheepWorld
Happy sheep prancing around the hills of Warkworth, playing with their lambs in the summer sun, eating dandelions and running up to tourists in the paddocks - sounds like a great time, right? Not if you have ovinophobia, the fear of sheep. SheepWorld has shearing shows twice a day, and the Wonderful Wool multimedia exhibition.
If you are afraid of beards, force yourself to visit...
K Road on a Friday night
Pogonophobics, or people with a fear of beards, might find visiting K Road an interesting experience. Popular with hipsters, it’s a veritable beard-fest, with guys sporting ironic facial hair in styles like the fu manchu, the french fork and the Napolean everywhere you look. Take a stroll after dark on a weekend night, or for some daytime beard spotting, try indie coffee shop Revel.
If you are afraid of clowns, force yourself to visit...
Circus Circus
It’s no surprise that many people are afraid of these guys (just think of monster clowns like Stephen King’s It or Batman’s nemesis The Joker). If clowns give you the creeps, you might want to test yourself with a visit to Circus Circus in Mt Eden, an entirely carnival-themed cafe and restaurant chocca with all-things-clown. They also happen to have a fantastic menu.
If you are afraid of balloons, force yourself to visit...
Balloon Mania
Fear of balloons, or globophobia, is something that actually does exist - our lovely social media Queen, Tineke, is a globophobe. For Tineke and others like her, it would be good to start off looking at photos of balloons online, and then progressing onto dealing with actual physical blown up balloons, getting gradually used to having them around until they no longer give you chills. Balloon Mania has an incredible selection of balloons which can be delivered Auckland wide.
Cute post! Agoraphobics might want to go for a walk in the domain. Lutraphobics should head to the zoo!