I share your fascination with Pripryat and the Chernobyl disaster itself more morbidly. I love Urbex though. The closest I came was going on a tour midway along (UK) Brighton's West pier- before it was set on fire and fell in the sea. I also volunteered on an art installation type project in a massive abandoned post sorting office in London. That was amazing. Dodgy though- holes in the floor. Broken glass all over. Doors that supposedly opened out onto nothing. (Hopefully they locked them!) Also, a company rented space in an abandoned bank once. We all hoped they'd left some gold bars behind but, no.
I've always wanted to do Urbex but, I'm too afraid of getting caught really. Plus, I'd likely do something stupid like fall down a lift shaft.
I love watching Urbex videos though. Abandoned water parks and theme parks were maybe my most go- to's. Like you say- it's that contrast of being somewhere so full of life and fun to being run down and desolate.
I like industrial explores too. Giant steel works or power plants. It's incredible to see those massive structures.
House explores can be fascinating too although, kind of intrusive. It's amazing how much is left behind sometimes. I like it when people do research too. Sometimes places have pretty disturbing back stories. That's especially strange- to view sonewhere so normal where you find out something horrible took place there.
There are still some people living or at least working in Pripryat though. I watched a documentary about a cafe there. There's a whole tourist trade around it. I imagine now though, there's just as much risk at being caught up in the war.
I became interested really young though. We walked along a coastline once and saw this weird structure. Kind of like an open box structure with steps going up. They had smashed the steps up so you couldn't get in. My Dad said it was likely some kind of sea defence left over from the war but- I so wanted to be able to go up those steps and explore. It was that weird mix of fear, creepiness and intrigue.
I also love it when nature reclaims stuff. Plus, just the look of abandoned places. The paint peel etc.
What I hate is the vandalism though. Sometimes the graffiti can be cool. But, when stuff gets smashed up or, all the copper ripped out or, the place set on fire. I find that upsetting. Especially if it was someone's home. To think they may still have relatives who then have to deal with all that. I think a lot of Urbex enthusiasts follow rules to not destroy or steal from properties. I think they do a service too- if they are respectful. Some of these amazing buildings get torn down with little record of how they looked.
