Day 1.


At DXB Terminal 1 checking in for my flight to Kiev via Moscow. My original plan was to fly DXB-KBP direct, but Emirates cancelled their Kiev flights in the aftermath of the shooting down of flight MH17. Luckily I scrambled to rebook on Aeroflot via SVO a few days before I was due to leave.


With my boarding passes with the silver Aeroflot A320 in the background.


Sunrise over Russia with some cool lens flare.


Waiting to board the flight to Kiev at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO).


The Aeroflot Airbus for the flight to Kiev.


The Aeroflot FA's with their bright orange uniform and berets.


Cheese sandwich and juice for the short ~2 hour flight.


Outside my hotel after catching a taxi into the city.


Maidan Nezalezhnosti or Independence Square in central Kiev, where 110 people were killed during the protests earlier this year. My hotel is top right.


'Think of the People'.


Up the hill at St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, founded in 1108.


The original cathedral was demolished by the Soviet authorities in the 1930s, but was reconstructed and opened in 1999 following Ukrainian independence in 1991.


And the beautiful interior.


St Andrew's Church, built in 1744 on Andriyivskyy Descent.


Outside the Dutch Embassy in Kiev.


It was less than a week after flight MH17 was shot down, and was quite a sombre experience.


Family photo.


Stopping for a break and some cake on Borychiv Tik Street.


Buying a token for the subway. Very cheap at 2 hyrvnia, or about 16 cents per ride.


The stations were all very grand.


Up the escalator for the ~70 metre ride to the surface.


A thirsty Panda back in central Kiev.


This guy didn't seem to be too popular here.


'Save Nadiya' on one of the signs in Independence Square. Nadiya, a Ukrainian Air Force pilot currently being held by the Russian authorities.


News.


On the balcony.


After crashing back at my hotel for a bit, I went out for a walk again for dinner.


Some delicious Ukrainian Borscht.


And some Manti.



Day 2.


Our guide/driver for the trip to Chernobyl explaining the geiger counter. Apparently if it went above a certain level we were prohibited from donating blood for 6 months.


Me at the first checkpoint for the Chernobyl Exclusion zone after the 2 hour ride from Kiev.


'Welcome to Chernobyl'.


At a memorial for the towns and settlements that had to be abandoned in the aftermath of the disaster. Each candle holder represents a town/village/settlement.


At an old kindergarten in Chernobyl.


The ground outside the kindergarten was quite 'hot', with ~100x normal background radiation levels.


Alphabet. Entry into all abandoned buildings at Chernobyl is now prohibited, as they are starting to decay and collapse. As we had a small group however, our guide was willing to 'bend the rules'.


Doll.


Letter.


Nursery.


Bunny.


Cards.


We then drove onto the main reactor compex. On the far left is the new safe confinement shield under construction, and just to right of it is the main reactor.


Outside the main reactor. The workers work 4 days on/3 days off, or 15 on/15 off shifts to minimise radiation exposure.


About ~5 micro-sieverts, or about ~30x normal background radiation levels.


A bus dropping workers at the new confinement shield. The shield is costing ~ 1 billion euro's and is designed to last ~100 years.


We then drove on to Pripyat, founded to house the powerplant workers and their families in 1970.


Outside Pripyat Leisure centre.


At the famous Pripyat Amusement Park. It was scheduled to be opened on May 1st, 1986, one week before the Chernobyl disaster.


And the famous Ferris wheel.


Pripyat Stadium. Again, it was never opened because of the disaster.


Turnstiles.


Postbox.


At the Pripyat high school.


Science textbooks.


Gymnasium.


Gas mask.


Stairway.


'Competition of the Thrifty'.


Lenin.


Control Room.


Vladimir.


Hallway.


Scattered.


Corner.


Science Class.


Radio Spectrum.


Books.


Newspaper.


Gas Mask Doll.


Swimming pool.


Basketball Court.


A man-made estuary. The left shore used to be a beach for the Pripyat residents in summer.


Cafe Pripyat.


After a busy day exploring, we had a late lunch/early dinner in one of the Chernobyl canteens.


Luckily the food was not local produce.


Back in Kiev after the 2 hour drive back from Chernobyl.


Ice cream for 11 hyrvnia.


Kiss.


Blueberries.


Street Art.