anyone been to Pripyat?

[justanother5tar]

llewop said:

justanother5tar said:

Find it all very interesting, in a way I'm quite jealous of your job.

Don't be! You'd be disappointed with how much sitting at a desk there is! Okay in between there can be some unusual places to visit (and the desk might have an 'unusual' view out the window - although some haven't even had a window!).

Seriously though, I can't complain as it's got me to some unusual places around the world and has (mostly) been fun for getting on for 30 years.

No. Im definitely still jealous.

[pidsy]

shirt said:

pidsy said:

i've been interested in "Dark tourism" for a while - since reading Dom Joly's book of the darker side of travel.

im on the mailing list of a UK travel company who specialise in this side of the industry. i'm not into it enough to got to Iraq or north Korea just yet, but i do fancy going to Pripyat and spending some time in the exclusion zone seeing the stuff you see on TV.

anyone else been?

the trip is for 3 days in october - is it still a bit dodgy in Ukraine at the moment?

have you checked out:

http://www.lupinetravel.co.uk/

owned/run by a mate of mine. great guy. he also organised the travel/shooting arrangements for the top gear special to ukraine/pripyat.

It is through lupine - think I mentioned them in another post. Certainly an interesting job your friend has!!
The guy I was going to go with has now dropped out - worried the Russians might get him. So looking for someone else for a trip early next year now.

[shakotan]

You can get pretty close to the reactor on the tours.

We were probably 100m from Reactor 4 at this point.

[llewop]

shakotan said:

You can get pretty close to the reactor on the tours.

We were probably 100m from Reactor 4 at this point.

Nearer to 300m there actually, but still a good view, blocked somewhat at the moment by construction works for part of the nsc.

[GuyW]

Didn't take any proper photos of the reactor this time (got the same last year and the sun was rather direct!) but this is what it was like in April.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1015554481...

[llewop]

GuyW said:

Didn't take any proper photos of the reactor this time (got the same last year and the sun was rather direct!) but this is what it was like in April.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1015554481...

can see the shield wall in that, despite the sun!

http://chnpp.gov.ua/en/component/content/article?i...

http://chnpp.gov.ua/en/component/content/article?i...

these pages from the ChNPP website show current/recent status. It is updated regularly (about every couple of weeks) and usually includes a few pictures of current/recent work on the NSC. They also show the wall and the work that it was constructed to protect/allow.

[shakotan]

GuyW said:

Didn't take any proper photos of the reactor this time (got the same last year and the sun was rather direct!) but this is what it was like in April.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1015554481...

We were there in April also. Don't go past the monument!

[justanother5tar]

shakotan said:

We were there in April also. Don't go past the monument!

Can I ask why? (Obviously I know why.)

Is there a huge jump in radiation or something?

[GuyW]

shakotan said:

We were there in April also. Don't go past the monument!

You mean don't possibly look at the gate...?

Edited by GuyW on Tuesday 21st July 11:23

[GuyW]

Certainly can see the change in a year that's for sure. Looks like they've actually started to get things properly rolling.

If anyones interested here are some of the pictures from both trips (apologies for the Facebook links, no way I'm re uploading again!)

2014
Covering Chernobyl, Pripyat, Duga, and at the time the tail end of the Maiden protests in Kiev.

2015
Similar again but a few different areas explored, parts of Priyat and the surrounding area not seen, children summer camp, the unfinished reactor 5 etc.

[shakotan]

justanother5tar said:

shakotan said:

We were there in April also. Don't go past the monument!

Can I ask why? (Obviously I know why.)

Is there a huge jump in radiation or something?

I think it's mainly for keep security happy, but there certainly is an exponential increase in milli-sieverts as you approach it.

[xjay1337]

Veritasium or something did a very good video of Chernobyl/Pripyat.

I'd love to go myself.

[justanother5tar]

shakotan said:

I think it's mainly for keep security happy, but there certainly is an exponential increase in milli-sieverts as you approach it.

Didn't even think about security.

[audikentman]

If anyone is interested there are some photos here, 30 years on

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/...

[AJB88]

Would be really interested in doing 1 of these in 2016.

[philthy]

Thread resurrection:
For some reason I've been fascinated by this place for years, and looking at the pics on here, I will be booking a weekend soon.

[pidsy]

Proper thread resurrection.

Finally booked. 13th sept for 3 days.

Taking Mrs p so not quite the romantic getaway she had in mind but is excited none the less. Added on a day's military tour which will see us on an old base, driving some APC's and firing lots of very cool firearms.

Really looking forward to it!

[llewop]

pidsy said:

Proper thread resurrection.

Finally booked. 13th sept for 3 days.

Taking Mrs p so not quite the romantic getaway she had in mind but is excited none the less. Added on a day's military tour which will see us on an old base, driving some APC's and firing lots of very cool firearms.

Really looking forward to it!

Hope you have a great time - presume you're spending some time in Kiev too? I saw some recent pictures that seem to show that it's mostly recovered from the standoff in Maiden, although there are shrines/memorials in quite a few places.

[AJB88]

pidsy said:

Proper thread resurrection.

Finally booked. 13th sept for 3 days.

Taking Mrs p so not quite the romantic getaway she had in mind but is excited none the less. Added on a day's military tour which will see us on an old base, driving some APC's and firing lots of very cool firearms.

Really looking forward to it!

Can you post where you booked etc? I want to do this in 2017.

[jock mcsporran]

I was just there a couple of weeks ago, I'll try and remember to post up a few pictures later.

ETA: Pictures. Got loads but they're on the other computer

Early Warning Radar Array


Outside the Kindergarten


Reactor 3 and 4


Reactor 4


Pripyat


Pripyat


Funfair


Funfair


Funfair


Football Ground


School

Edited by jock mcsporran on Tuesday 26th July 20:20