Chernobyl: The Official Tour

[bassman]

Coming 2011....Chernobyl: The Official Tour The itinerary of one such tour, which takes in the nuclear plant and even the remains of the number four reactor, contains elements as lunch (food is delivered from outside of the Chernobyl zone), passage through the Dytyatky control point and measuring of radiation. Ukraine's government said that it hoped to complete a new sarcophagus for the exploded reactor by 2015. The existing concrete structure is cracking and leaks radiation. I heard about this on Conan Obrien last night. As he put it...."It's like visiting Disney Land.......Except the six foot mouse is real"

[Legion2213]

I'll be honest, I'd be all over one of these tours if the chance presented itself...

[MoonSylver]

"The thing I was most impressed by was how spooky the deserted town was & how much nature had reclaimed..."

[LouCipherr]

Dj and I once watched a weird show on Discovery channel about Chernobyl and the animals that still live there. After about 10 minutes watching the show, he turns to me and says "dude, just look at the landscape and the scenery and tell me that wouldn't be the PEFECT place to film a zombie flick!" He was right, but I'm not going to start glowing green just because he needed an assistant making that film.

[JDFP]

While I think it would be fascinating to explore Chernobyl (more than fascinating, it would be downright AWESOME) and the nearing city (Pripyat -- and the wikipedia article is really fascinating: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pripyat,_Ukraine), I'd have to say absolutely no. Really, is coming this close to that much radiation such a great idea? It would be like taking a vacation to the Bikini Islands and soaking up some sun for pleasure. Just not a very well thought-out plan. Anyone coming that close to the city without wearing protective clothing (as in nuclear hazardous jump suits with helmets) is just well, a dumb ass. And although I'm often a smart ass I'm not that much of a dumb ass. j.p.

[bassman]

I imagine thety've got it planned out to where the tourists will only get minimal amounts of radiation. For years Pripyat has been pretty much safe with the exception of a few interiors, but this tour is actually taking them to the plant and the fourth reactor?!? Maybe they're supplying suits, as well? And you know there are going to be required waivers.... Might I ad - the fourth reactor that this very article mentions as having a LEAKING cover and won't be repaired for another five years. Yet the tours start next year? WTF Ukraine?

[Tricky]

I've linked it before here, but scan your mince pies over this site http://www.kiddofspeed.com/ some great photographs & descriptions from inside the zone

[LouCipherr]

Really, is coming this close to that much radiation such a great idea? It would be like taking a vacation to the Bikini Islands and soaking up some sun for pleasure. Just not a very well thought-out plan. Hmm, well, ask some frequent fliers who have to constantly go through the x-ray machines for the TSA. Perhaps Chernobyl might not quite be as bad as we think. (sorry, couldn't resist a good TSA joke when someone opens the door that wide. )