[Iris7]

Hotspots remain in the Chernobyl area. The exclusion zone is not particularly radiologically dangerous if you are not stupid. Most of it is rather nice.

Best site I have found on Chernobyl and the exclusion zone (by far) is http://www.kiddofspeed.com/

Young lady on a Kawasaki Ninja takes solo bike tours through the area, takes lots of pictures, and carries a good Geiger counter. The area is full of vegetation and wildlife.

[Hoplite]

The area is full of vegetation and wildlife.

I believe the Russians are or have already turned Novaya Zemlya into a national park, so with Bikini Atoll, there are at least three nuclear nature preserves in the world.

But that misses the point, which is Mr. Bethell's asinine assertion that Chernobyl wasn't a disaster simply because few died as a direct result.

[jennyp]

I remember that site! That was a great story. Unfortunately she sexed up the story quite a bit. For instance, apparently she & her husband went on the same standard tour (by car) that anyone else can. I'm not sure she actually got anywhere near Chernobyl on her motorcycle. Plus some of the more poingant photos inside the buildings were staged.