Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org

Are you a fan of super fiction marvel movies …?

What if I tell you that one of them does exist in ‘real’ life …?

Meet Alain Robert, known as the French Spiderman. Alain has the nickname ‘Spiderman’ because when he climbs, he wears an outfit similar to the fictional superhero. But his real X-Factor is his Superhuman climbing skills.

Alain Robert born as Robert Alain Philippe on 7 August 1962 is a French rock and urban climber, from Burgundy, France. Known as "the French Spider-Man" or "the Human Spider," Robert is famous for his free solo climbing, ascending skyscrapers using no climbing equipment except for a small bag of chalk and a pair of climbing shoes. He is an inspiration for many people because he became a climber by overcoming his vertigo and countless injuries.

This extraordinary man has climbed more than 100 skyscrapers. He is a pro player of toying with the dangers. He has climbed most of the world's massive structures including, Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House and the Montparnasse Tower. In 1997, Alain climbed the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia but was arrested at the 60th floor, 28 floors below the top. The climber scaled the Petronas Twin Towers, in September 2009 with his bare hands in less than two hours, with a huge fine. But he never quits his dream of climbing the massive skyscrapers. He also upholds a record of climbing 121 buildings and counting since his first in 1994.

Alain decided to put his extraordinary skills to the ultimate test and tackle the world’s Tallest Building, Burj Khalifa. He made an effort for doing this marvel with the help of a number of tactful friends he had made from his famous climbs and received the opportunity with the legal permission this time to climb up the world’s tallest building. The Burj Khalifa is a gigantic skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Rising over the city at a spectacular 2,722 feet and rambling 200 stories (160 habitable), $ 1.5 billion the Burj Khalifa project was unveiled by Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in January 2010.

At a height of 2,722 ft, this opportunity would be one of the most tremendous for any professional climber. Robert usually does not use any types of equipment for climbing, he does all these miracles with his bare hands and some chalks. But for this climb, to accept the organizer's rules, he used a rope and harness. According to Gulf News Reports, the climb occurred simultaneously with the ‘Tenth Annual Education Without Borders Conference’ in Dubai and was intended to inspire more than 2,000 students who attended the event. "I'm doing this to show the students there is no edge or borders and to inspire people to break the mould and not limit themselves, Part of my message is not only to follow your heart but try to innovate in all things you do," said Robert. “I climb because I need to find something I enjoy in life and I enjoy climbing buildings," he continued. Robert's climb took more than six hours. He finished his climb despite windy conditions. By the time he finished, around midnight, he was climbing in the dark. And the next day the Spiderman Alain rejoiced his achievement and new world record for the fastest time to climb the Burj Khalifa Tower, unassisted. He celebrated by eating at the restaurant located at the top of the skyscraper he just climbed. In a time of six hours and thirteen minutes, Alain had added another incredible record title to his collection.

View from Burj Khalifa, UAE

Robert has been arrested and fined many times, in numerous countries, by law enforcement administrators waiting for him at the end of his climb. But as he says, “I climb because I need to find something I enjoy in life and I enjoy climbing buildings."

In recent years, however, Robert has done his climbs with permissions and sponsorship. His legendary climbs made him a record holder and gave him the fame as a ‘human spider’. Many people ask whether it is madness to undertake such dangerous climbs without the use of safety equipment. But in Alain’s view, it is madness not to follow your dreams!