Our very own Alex Ng, a long-time web developer and general tech guru, recently completed a 116-story high walk around the CN Tower in downtown Toronto—and he wasn’t even fazed. The CN Tower’s EdgeWalk is in a class of its own, recently having been awarded a Guinness World Record for the highest external walk with no railing on a building in the world. Although he admits it was a fun experience, he adds with a chuckle that it wasn’t his idea either.

“My sister made the reservations for my birthday, so it was a present from her and my brother-in-law. I made no indication that I was interested in doing this. But then there we were, tethered high above the city, and it was pretty awesome just to be up there,” he said.

For Alex, adventure tends to find him, even when he’s not looking for it. That isn’t to say he’s not an experienced closet adrenaline junkie. He’s also done quite a few extreme sports, such as parachuting, repelling, rock climbing, and hot air ballooning.

“The EdgeWalk wasn’t scary. Another year, for my birthday as well, we did a walk in the trees in Peterborough, which was pretty fun too. Plus, I’ve done a lot of rock climbing before, so I’m comfortable being up high. But I can see how, without that experience, the EdgeWalk could be scary for beginners.”

Fortunately, the EdgeWalk staff are well-prepared for nervous patrons. The entire “ride” takes about 1.5 hours, including a lengthy orientation and preparation session, during which the staff can get a feel for the participants’ confidence levels.

“As far as I know, no one has puked yet. They give you plenty of time to get ready to go out, so there’s no rush and they walk you through each step to make sure you’re comfortable. Anyone could do it. It was much more about the view than the fear factor. I think you would have a better chance of winning the lottery than falling off.”

He doesn’t hesitate to recommend the experience, especially for tourists with limited time in the city. The tickets cost $175 and include access to all of the CN tower’s features. For that price, a 360 degree view would definitely make a vacation memorable, despite any qualms about heights.

He does, however, offer one bit of advice: find a washroom ahead of time.