During my brief stay in the Unkraine, I also managed to make a day trip into Chernobyl to see reactor 4 and the town of Pripyat which was left deserted after the accident in 1986. It was sad and interesting to see everything that was left behind. It was a worthwhile trip, I learned a lot about radioactivity, saw tons of abandoned buildings and learned a lot about the mishandling of the whole Chernobyl accident. I won't go into too much detail, because I am sure most information can be found on Wikipedia.
The town of Pripyat, was only a town for 11 years before it was evacuated and left abandoned indefinitely. The day after the amusement park in Pripyat opened, the city was evacuated. The ferris wheel had only ever given one ride, before it was left unused, a distant memory of the up and coming city. The average age of people living there was 25. These people weren't evacuated immediately, they stayed and went about their lives for four days, even celebrating May Day with parades and parties, before they were calmly told to pack their bags. The government never indicated how dire the situation was. Instead everyone was told to pack one bag, as they would be returning soon, once the leak in the nuclear reactor was sealed. The people who were evacuated were only allowed to return one year after that initial evacuation, and weren't allowed into the buildings, they were just shown the damage and then escorted out of the city again. All of their belongings were gone, and the homes they once knew and loved were left untouched for ages.
During my trip, we saw radioactive dogs, covered in growths and 3 feet long catfish, and were told that 56 people still choose to live in the contamination zones, because they do not believe in radiation (it is invisible and therefore doesn't exist). These people have lived there for a very long time and have not gotten radiation poisoning (there is no explanation for this). We saw countless memorials along the way to the reactor and even more abandoned houses. We were able to tour through 2 schools, the amusement park, a swimming pool, a restaurant and an apartment building, where we climbed 17 stories to the top to overlook the town. It was a very sombre experience, where I reflected on how quickly someone's life can change forever. You never really know when or how.
In order to tour, we had to wear long sleeve pants and shirts, thick soled shoes and long socks. We weren't allowed to touch anything or sit on the ground at all. We had readers, to tell us if we were in a radiation hot spot and had to move quickly. At the end of the tour, we were put into these scanners that check your body for radiation, and then put into military rooms, where security ensured we were decontaminated properly. Apparently, visiting Chernobyl gives off less radiation than an 8 hour overseas flight, so there wasn't really much to worry about, as the levels are now safe enough for a brief visit. People who work in or around Chernobyl are only allowed to work 4 consecutive days for their health and safety.
If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend doing the Chernobyl tour through Solo East.
The town of Pripyat, was only a town for 11 years before it was evacuated and left abandoned indefinitely. The day after the amusement park in Pripyat opened, the city was evacuated. The ferris wheel had only ever given one ride, before it was left unused, a distant memory of the up and coming city. The average age of people living there was 25. These people weren't evacuated immediately, they stayed and went about their lives for four days, even celebrating May Day with parades and parties, before they were calmly told to pack their bags. The government never indicated how dire the situation was. Instead everyone was told to pack one bag, as they would be returning soon, once the leak in the nuclear reactor was sealed. The people who were evacuated were only allowed to return one year after that initial evacuation, and weren't allowed into the buildings, they were just shown the damage and then escorted out of the city again. All of their belongings were gone, and the homes they once knew and loved were left untouched for ages.
During my trip, we saw radioactive dogs, covered in growths and 3 feet long catfish, and were told that 56 people still choose to live in the contamination zones, because they do not believe in radiation (it is invisible and therefore doesn't exist). These people have lived there for a very long time and have not gotten radiation poisoning (there is no explanation for this). We saw countless memorials along the way to the reactor and even more abandoned houses. We were able to tour through 2 schools, the amusement park, a swimming pool, a restaurant and an apartment building, where we climbed 17 stories to the top to overlook the town. It was a very sombre experience, where I reflected on how quickly someone's life can change forever. You never really know when or how.
In order to tour, we had to wear long sleeve pants and shirts, thick soled shoes and long socks. We weren't allowed to touch anything or sit on the ground at all. We had readers, to tell us if we were in a radiation hot spot and had to move quickly. At the end of the tour, we were put into these scanners that check your body for radiation, and then put into military rooms, where security ensured we were decontaminated properly. Apparently, visiting Chernobyl gives off less radiation than an 8 hour overseas flight, so there wasn't really much to worry about, as the levels are now safe enough for a brief visit. People who work in or around Chernobyl are only allowed to work 4 consecutive days for their health and safety.
If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend doing the Chernobyl tour through Solo East.
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