CHERNOBYL, KYIV
THE EASTERN EUROPEAN SERIES PT3
It wasn’t long ago that Chernobyl was a complete no-go zone and even now there are strict policies in place for visitors.
IT WAS A PERFECT SCENE FOR A HORROR MOVIE
I only got word that you could visit here last year and made sure to take advantage as soon as i could.
WHERE IS CHERNOBYL?
The most dangerous attraction on earth
HISTORY
In the morning of April 26, 1986, reactor 4 exploded as a result of a safety test. This sent highly radioactive material into the air affecting millions of people around the world. No one was more effected than the locals however as the USSR tried to cover up what had happened. Several times the USSR tried to douse the flames but it only made things worse and the town wasn’t evacuated until 36 hours after the initial explosion. By that time the damage was done.
SOLO EAST
I checked into Salve Hostel (since closed) and had already booked my trip with Solo East. This was on the basis of several recommendations and good reviews. They didn’t disappoint however I would also recommend Chernobyl Tour. I was collected in the morning at Independence Square and taken to Pripyat to start out tour.
The most dangerous attraction on earth
PRIPYAT
Contrary to the photos, Pripyat was once a very modern city, built to house 50,000 people, most of which were the workers of the power plant. It had everything from schools & shops to a swimming pool and a theme park. This is part of the reason what made working here so attractive.
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After crossing the various checkpoints and stopping at a few monuments we made it to the Kindergarten where we would explore the first of many abandoned buildings left to ruin. Everything remains, beds, clothes and children’s toys can all be find lying around. In the school you can’t see the floor due to the amount of books.
FACTS:
- The first alert was sent not by the Soviets but the USSR
- Some of the animals in the area were culled however some still remain
- Nobody lives in Chernobyl
GAS MASKS
There are several areas which will get your attention but none more so than the children’s toy laying dismembered on the bed, the gas masks surrounding an empty chair and the theme park. The theme park was like a perfect movie set and can only be described as incredibly eerie.
THE REACTOR
After visiting the swimming pool our last stop was the reactor itself. They are currently building a large dome called the Chernobyl New Safe Confinement which is to be placed over the reactor to reduce the exposure. It doesn’t achieve complete containment however and has been built purely to confine the solid radioactive material around the site.
Upon leaving the site, each visitor is required to go through a radioactive detector to insure they haven’t had too much exposure.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It’s quite sad but to get an understanding of what happened I would highly recommend you watch the TV program, Chernobyl!
NEXT UP
Back on with my trip around Eastern Europe! Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
47/229
This episode is part of The Eastern European Series. Click to view episode1.
