Stairs are getting tricky. Not so much going up — I can manage that without running out of breath. The real trouble starts when I have to go back down.
That very first step is the key one: if I land it properly, the rest of the staircase is usually no problem (well, usually — see About Climbing Stairs). Best case, the steps have a nice bright stripe of paint on them so you can see where you’re going, even in lousy light. Most of the time though, no such luck, and I end up feeling around with my foot for that first drop. Sometimes the dim lighting throws me off so badly that I don’t even trust the rest of the stairs, and I creep down like a cautious cat.
I’ve figured out that it actually works better if I don’t look straight at the stairs. My blind spot in the middle of my vision stops getting in the way, and I see the steps more clearly out of the corner of my eyes. My legs take it from there.
Or I just use a flashlight — yes, even in broad daylight. If I shine it at an angle, every step casts a little shadow, telling me exactly where to put my foot.
This hotel installed special stairwell lighting. I’m not really convinced it helps.