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  1. #1
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    Default TBM's adventures in Chernobyl and Pripyat, Part 4 June 2013

    Forgot to put up a part 4 here!

    The final part of my expedition.

    As I'm sure you would too, I was ecstatic when our guide walks us down the road, not saying a word about where we're going until he stops: 'This is the hospital.' Woo! But there was a catch; the government use one of the buildings next door as a laundry store, so we had to be pretty stealthy going round here. Now given the amount of broken glass, that's pretty fucking hard! He said not to linger around the windows at the back, as if they spot anyone inside they'll call the police and then that's his job on the rocks! To be honest, the hospital is one of the buildings I could have done a far better job of covering; I wasted a load of time looking for the mortuary, leaving the other 2 behind and running up and down the corridors much to their annoyance! Be under no illusion here, I'm not obsessed with them, but for every hospital I've been to they've been elusive or sealed! Our guide only gave us 30-40 minutes inside; there are 5 floors plus the basement (which has the firefighters' dangerously contaminated clothing there so no way would I go there!) so no way in hell would you be able to see it all in that time. Now it was only after seeing another report afterwards that it was a seperate outbuilding round the back! :mad

    If I ever go back here, without a shadow of a doubt I will be back to see more of this; this is a hospital that an explorer's dreams are made of! Though heavily decayed, how can you argue with beds in every room, medicine lying about, operating theatres and some of the most amazing natural decay you'll ever see?




























  2. #2
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    Default Re: TBM's adventures in Chernobyl and Pripyat, Part 4 June 2013

    After the hospital, we did a few mini-bimbles around some of the inaccessible buildings. First off was the school, which collapsed this April.





    Council offices





    The next stop was the Prometheus cinema/mini-concert venue(?). Loved this place, except for the fact I forgot 2 fundamental things: my torch and a tripod. I did get one reasonably decent photo of the main screen, but I got to the projection room but couldn't find anything to rest my camera on! My on-camera flash is broken, so I couldn't get a photo! Boo!













    Will upload the last part of this set shortly. Watch this space.

    Love TBM x

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    Default Re: TBM's adventures in Chernobyl and Pripyat, Part 4 June 2013

    The final part! On our way to the amusement park, we stopped by at the theatre which had the communist posters and iconography. No access to the auditorium as it was too exposed.


    No offence but the guy on the far left (pun not intended) looks like a bit... odd? I find his expression a bit creepy, don't you?




    Though difficult to make out, the building in the distance was one of a few emblazoned with the communist hammer and sickle on the roof.


    And now, for the most iconic urbex site in the whole world; probably the only site in the world that an explorer can look at and say: 'yeah, that's the ferris wheel in Pripyat isn't it?' Not once did this turn a wheel in anger for the people of Ukraine, not once.


















    I'm in there somewhere


    The shooting range, completely empty and trashed

    And just behind, the city sports centre.






    Before you ask, no I did not try the monkey swing! lol


    A conference hall?




    Get in the ring!


    And our final stop on the tour, the supermarket in the main square.



    So there we have it, my biggest rite of passage passed. What would I rate of the experience overall? To be honest, it was pretty expensive with there being 3 of us, and realistically I should have stayed a couple of extra days in Kyiv as it would have cost us peanuts to do so but it was definitely worth it. Did it all in 3 days (left Monday, got back Wednesday), but it was a truly magnificent experience that I will never, ever EVER forget. Would I go back? If I could get a couple more along and spend more time in Kyiv or perhaps, Ukraine, then definitely. We saw virtually all the good bits of Pripyat (certainly all we'd planned to see), but if I go back I'd be sure to do a better job of documenting both the hospital and cinema. I'd do the police station too, that'd be a good one to see.

    Forgive me as I should have done this earlier, but first and foremost I'd like to thank my guide (who shall remain nameless) for being an absolute diamond and letting us round all the buildings and places we wanted to see. Secondly I'd like to thank Dylan from Lupine Travel for organising this all for us, but not for not sorting our night in Kyiv properly (LOL! Thankfully we did actually get a room thanks to this proper hot girl from a hostel a couple of floors down)! Finally I'd like to thank both UrbanX and Ric Wright for their excellent advice and help with being in the zone beforehand.

    Love as always,

    TBM x

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    Default Re: TBM's adventures in Chernobyl and Pripyat, Part 4 June 2013

    Amazing set and sounds like you had an epic tour. You should do Famagusta next!
    We've gone on holiday by mistake!

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    True_British_Metal (09-07-2013)

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    Default Re: TBM's adventures in Chernobyl and Pripyat, Part 4 June 2013

    Quote Originally Posted by x-pack View Post
    Amazing set and sounds like you had an epic tour. You should do Famagusta next!
    Thanks, but I've never heard of that!

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    Default Re: TBM's adventures in Chernobyl and Pripyat, Part 4 June 2013

    Check it out. It's a bit like the holy grail of explores. The location is actually Varosha in the city of Famagusta. The history reads something like, in 1974 the Turkish army invaded and took over Famugusta. The Cypriot people were evacuated and immediately after capture the town of Varosha was sealed off. It remains that way today. No locals, tourists or journalists are allowed in and the perimeter is heavily guarded. It has been described as a ghost town as people literally abandoned everything. Up until recently there were even 'new' cars still the dealerships. Unfortunately it's been heavily looted so the guards are obviously not doing their job very well.
    Last edited by GeoVDUB; 11-07-2013 at 12:31 AM.
    We've gone on holiday by mistake!

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    Default Re: TBM's adventures in Chernobyl and Pripyat, Part 4 June 2013

    You should've waited for Ric's trip man, he sorts out the best guides who just let you off at 8am and tell you to be back at 4! Means you can plan everything around the GPS map and see the stuff off the beaten track that's hiding!


    My camera bag weighs far too much for these poor quality photos: My Flickr

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    Default Re: TBM's adventures in Chernobyl and Pripyat, Part 4 June 2013

    Quote Originally Posted by GeoVDUB View Post
    You should've waited for Ric's trip man, he sorts out the best guides who just let you off at 8am and tell you to be back at 4! Means you can plan everything around the GPS map and see the stuff off the beaten track that's hiding!
    Unfortunately I don't stand a chance of doing that, it's in October which is when I'm at Uni.

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