Chernobyl & Kiev, Ukraine

[Jake]

Mr Hoyer and myself embarked on a venture to ex-soviet europe last week. The main reason was for a Chernobyl tour, which used the capital, Kyiv (Kiev) as a base... so we made 5 nights of it and also spent a day at Hidropark (an island on the river through the city, complete with beaches and CREDZ).

As per, I'll do this in parts rather than days...

Part 1 - Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
Part 2 - Hidropark (beach and cred stuff)
Part 3 - Kiev city stuff.



Part 1


We arrived at Kiev airport and got picked up by our taxi dude (complete with sign), he couldn't speak a word of english so put me on to the hostel owner. We originally wanted to do Chernobyl on the sunday, but they only had places for the thursday (which was the following day). It all happened quickly but it worked out in the end.

The Chernobyl power plant area consists of two exclusion zones. We reached the first zone after about an hour and a half, got out of the bus, showed our passports and were allowed through. This exclusion zone is roughly a 30km radius around the plant, and still poses higher radiation levels than normal. However, these levels are still tolerable.

Once inside the zone, we were hearded into a meeting room where our tour guide gave us a bit of history about the Chernobyl disaster, and we all signed a disclaimer which removed any liability to the tour company or staff for 'further deterioration of your health after the visit' or something.

The guide was quite funny... if a little whacky.

Our first stop was a couple of military vehicles which had been cleansed for human contact. The signs are just there to make it look better in photos, which hoyer found hillarious

RADIATION!

First abandoned building of the day...

After a bit of a wander we were back on the bus again and at the chernobyl river harbour. Boats!

Momument to the firefighters

We were now on our way to Pripyat (the city which housed the workers of the plant). Pripyat is a lot closer to the plant than Chernobyl itsself, and is a lot more contaminated. Shortly before arriving at Pripyat, we passed the 10km exclusion zone, and visitors are only allowed in here for a short amount of time.

To our suprise, we were allowed in ALL the interesting buildings. Health and safety was non existant on this tour (disclaimers <3), as is evident in the following photos.

Hotel

From the top

The reactor which melted down

Safe!

Trees growing on the 6th floor... showing how much nature has claimed the city back from humans!

This place was like a snapshot of 80's soviet life.

I think EVERY photo of martyn I have is of him taking a picture...

We then wandered into the library

(and had to walk over all the books to the next room)

which was a sports hall of some discription...

more health and safety!

Kids swimming pool

...and the part I was most excited about, the fairground!

Supermarket

The adults swimming pool, complete with diving board!

I spot a hoyer...

Changing rooms

There was some cool graffiti around the city... this one was in the pool

Last up was the school, before a quick stop at the reactor (my camera died spite, but hoyer grabbed a few snaps), before we had dinner and returned to Kiev.

Schooooll

Map from when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union

Books in the corridor

(the woman in the green and purple was british... she was soooo amazing).

and a final photo, of a classroom.

On the way out of the exclusion zone we were tested for contamination by standing in this machine, and putting our hands on two metal pads. If you were clean, the gate popped open and you were allowed to leave. We all passed, but god knows what would have happened if someone had failed!

Thanks for reading, more to follow later!

 

[furie]

Really, really interested in this report. It's such a fascinating place and it's brilliant to get an impression (well written, etc) from people I know - very jealous of you both!

It's so haunting, and, I dunno? It's odd. I remember the incident so clearly and it's weird seeing the aftermath now like this.

 

[davidm]

Good skills!

A photographer I follow "did" Chernobyl a while back, some interesting shots here too;

http://www.stuckincustoms.com/category/ ... chernobyl/

(But not as good as Jake/Martyn's shots I warrant!)

 

[Dave]

I would love to visit that area, it looks fascinating as furie said. Also like furie said I'm so jealous, looks like a great place to soak in the atmosphere and takes some pictures. Looking forward to Hoyer's pics.

 

[ECG]

Great stuff Jake. I see a trip reporter of the year award for you in the near future.
Keep 'em coming!

 

[marc]

Fantastic stuff Jake, I remember the day all that happened like it was yesterday and as Furie said its interesting seeing the pictures and reading about it.

Cheers for the report and pictures.

 

[Ian]

That's pretty amazing, especially all the books. It's so haunting. I wonder if that metal pads/hands/radiation check thing is just a gimmick or tourist publicity stunt thing.

And does anybody call Hoyer "Martyn" anymore?

 

[Jake]

^ Yeah, I do most of the time. Only you caught me calling him Hoyer in here

Anyway... part 2.

After two early mornings we decided to have a lie in and go to the beach (complete with credz). We didn't set an alarm expecting to wake up at about 10, but overslept massively untill 12:30!

We got the fab metro complete with huge escalators:

after 3 stops on the (red?) line, we arrived at Hidropark (an island in the middle of the river) for an afternoon of creds and beach. We decided to head to the creds first to get them over and done with (well, I decided ).

Something is telling me the park is a bit run down...

the round up doesn't look too open either...

or this thing... complete with fallen tree

shame, it's clearly a cred

The creds didn't look too promising either...

Rust...

Lack of restraints...

The kiddie cred looks a bit dead too...

However, I noticed a notice that implied the rides opened at 14:00, and it was currently about 13:30, so we decided to have some lunch and then head back later on.

The beach was nice, considering it was on a river in a capital city...

(notice the box, talk about public changing rooms!)

Touriste.

Kiev has lots of gold stuff... more of that later though.

This thing was amazing. We thought it was a lifeguard tower, until they moved the inflatable thing infront of it. The idea is that you sit on the end, and your mate jumps off the tower (sending you flying). Martyn got some great flip-book style photos of this which he'll hopefully post soon. I think he's doing a topic in life outside.

Right, time to go back to the creds in a vain attempt to get them.

We took pictures, and got shouted at by scary gypsy fair people. Staff being around was a good sign I guess.

I see an op in the station who doesn't speak a word of english. He just points at the cred, mutters something and points towards a token stand. OMG, is it actually open?!?!

I nervously buy a ticket and wait for other riders (theres no way i'm riding that DEATH trap on my own. People arrive, and we are diverted away from the seats without restraints, and sent on our way. Naturally, the op was too busy smoking a cigarette in the booth to check the restraints that were actually in place.

Photos of the death trap courtesy of mr hoyer. May I add, this was the most scared i'd EVER been on a cred in my life. It was rough from start to finish, and made some pretty horrendus noises. and WTF is up with that train?!

I wanted to sit at the back, but, it doesn't look too safe to me.

The worst transition ever

The second worst transition ever... the force it flipped over that hill spike was insane.

I then rode the kiddy coaster, which literally LAUNCHED the train into corners. The op even made me hold on at the side because the lats were so ridiculous. I thought it was going to derail.

.

I was actually really shaken up after riding the coasters (as they were clearly unsafe), so after chaining a couple of cigs we headed back to the beach, sat at a beach bar and had a few drinks (only one beer, it was too damn hot for alcohol)!

Martyn liked the women.

But they didn't like his sweaty back after a day in the 40 degree heat

To be fair, he was wearing a rucksack. I personally find it sexy!

 

[Antinos]

I will also say that I find Pripyat to find an intriguing place. I would love to go there and photograph it.

Unrelated but worth mentioning. The main square, the pool, and the fairground are all in Call of Duty 4, and it's pretty awesome how real they made the level in Pripyat.

 

[RCF]

Wow, this is a really intriguing report. Really nice pictures and those credz just look, terrifying. But, it's all in being a coaster enthusiast

 

[Lofty]

I'd really like that Chernobyl tour. How much did it cost? Looks really intriguing.

All as I can say Jake is, you're a LOT braver then me my friend, I wouldn't tempt fate and ride them.

 

[Ian]

^ Jake would do anything for a cred!

Going back to Chernobyl briefly, there was an article about it in today's Sun newspaper explaining how dangerous it all is, how you can tour it, blah blah, but you got there first Jake! A CF exclusive!

Is Hidropark possibly the sh1ttest and most dangerous park you've ever been to? Excluding Thorpe Park. (That's a JOKE before anybody takes it too seriously!)

 

[Jake]

^ Innit! Martyn linked me to that article earlier. We totes spited them

That park... OMG. The scariest thing was seeing all the rides they'd left to rot. They seem to buy cheap rides, use them untill they break without maintaining them and just leave them. I give the looping coaster a couple of years at the most.

 

[Snoo]

That is ****ing epic. Jake <3

 

[Jake]

Part 3

The only photo I have from our hostel is of the weird bog roll.

It made me realise how much I take toilet roll tubes for granted. Sure, it's annoying when the bathroom is cluttered with them because nobody can be arsed to chuck them, but still. Love you toilet roll tubes! <3.


The hostel was only a short walk from Independence square (the very centre of the city). Along the way was this phunky looking building <3

Independence square


'look, five identicle buildings have come to meet here'

This would never happen in the UK...

At weekends they often have events/concerts etc in the square, and the main road closes every weekend regardless of what events are on. This provoked a nice atmosphere.

They had some weird 'Ukraine and India' concert going on...

Like most places, it also gets dark in Ukraine.

In the distance I spotted a huge fake rainbow, which was quickly named 'gaynebow'. We wandered over in an attempt to find the pot of gold.

Sorry for the quality, my camera is a homophobe.

There were yet more rides here... a Miami, dodgems and THIS

It was like a kiddie version of a Booster/Top Spin hybrid. It looked horrible, and inverted about 100 times (no joke). The cycle was excessive.

The last couple of days were spent sightseeing, and generally roaming around whatever looked interesting on the map.

Metrooo

Eggz

I see the beach.

How soviet.

She's 350ft tall. So butch! She was nicknamed:

'pork-sword'
'the dyke'
'the dyke with the sword'
'vadge'

... at some point or another.

Gay tank intercourse <3

There was so much gold in Kiev.

Newer buildings over the river, complete with gun (L)

Venomous CREATURES!

We then climbed a bell tower, which I annoyingly don't have any photos of. There are plenty of the views though...

First level

Bendy-Brams!

Gold.

Same view, but from the top:

Hazey photo looking towards independence square.

The stairs were actually quite putrid:

Go me.

We then minced down the road towards another religious church thing, whilst bitching that it's silly that churches are always nice buildings, when religion its self is such a load of poo.

Interior

Literally a stones throw away was more gold (the one you could see from the bell tower) church action...

Although this one was fab because it had a funicular behind it <3

Looking downnn

Looking uppppp

Looking goooood

(hehe)

Traffic

For our last meal we inhaled a disgusting amount of pizza, and absorbed enough beer to drown Michelle Mcmanus.

I love how ILL he looks <3

We did polish it all off in the end (L).


The following day we hopped on our gay pink plane back to Luton and said our goodbyes.

(this was taken on the way, not the way back, but fakk it).


Thanks for reading etc .

x

 

[Nic]

I ****ing hate you!

<3

Awesome reportage. As ever.

I miss you. Lots.

PS. The funicular will give Ian a hard-on.

 

[Ian]

PS. The funicular will give Ian a hard-on.

LOL, as soon as I saw the funicular railway, I though I must post to tell Vadge I'm excited.

Superb trip report as always Jake!

 

[peep]

Jake, once again you post an interesting sight into a World we don't normally see on these forums. Congrats on being brave enough to do those creds as there is no way I'd go on either of them lol.

Looks like you both had a nice time though.

 

[Tomatron]

Awesome trip report.

Was watching a documentary on Chernobyl the other day, it's almost a perfect blueprint for a disaster movie, but with incredibly moving undertones when you realise the scale of everything involved.

 

[Martyn B]

^ Innit! Martyn linked me to that article earlier. We totes spited them

I've only just read this report, and I honestly thought The Sun had used some of your pics (tree on 6th floor and the wheel)!

I am so fascinated with that place, and its now three times its come up lately!

And I lol'd so much at you on them creds! Brilliant (and brave) stuff! Fantastic report as always.