Bored Panda has reached out to Rafał, the creator of GoUrbex. We wanted to find out more about this specific activity he dedicated himself to - the exploration of abandoned places. In addition to his YouTube channel counting over 1 million views, and nearly 150 videos, Rafał documents his urbex adventures and discoveries on his Instagram profile. First, we asked him how he became interested in urban exploration, and what inspired him to start GoUrbex. We found out that: “I think it's a general curiosity. I've always been interested in how things are produced, how they work, and so on. Eventually, I came across videos and photos of abandoned places on the internet, and that's when I realized that this hobby is called urbex. I learned about it relatively late, only in 2011. I live near the Kampinos National Park, and I used to go with friends to explore the bunkers there, where it all began. In 2013, I bought a sports camera and tried to record it, but I wasn't satisfied with my footage at the time, so I put the exploration aside for a while.

It wasn't until 2016 that I stumbled upon the location of a well-preserved recreational center called Okrąglaki online. The place was literally perfectly preserved. Unfortunately, at that time, I didn't know that it's better not to delay visiting such places. A friend I was supposed to go with kept postponing the trip, and when we finally went there six months later, the center was significantly different from the footage from winter 2016. Initially, my channel was supposed to focus on abandoned places in my area, but when I returned to the topic after some time, I realized that the name shouldn't limit the locations. So, in 2017, my initiative under the name GoUrbex was born. Over the years, I even had the opportunity to visit the closed zone of Chernobyl four times. Additionally, on my channel, I sometimes try to restore electricity in abandoned buildings using a converter powered by a small battery. It's a small reference to my enthusiasm for electronics.”

Asked if he could share one of his most memorable experiences while exploring an abandoned location, Rafał answered: “Yes, the most interesting place I visited was the PZL Wola factory. Paradoxically, I still haven't made a film from that location, but that's because the original way of filming didn't suit me. This factory produced engines for tanks, large power generators, as well as boats and smaller ships. The facilities were enormous, abandoned for years and guarded. When I first entered the premises, I felt like a spy; we had to go unnoticed without knowing the entrance to the building. We walked around the abandoned fire station unit adjacent to the building we were interested in. A few days later, we returned and encountered scrap collectors who showed us a fairly well-hidden entrance. The facilities were huge, and what's best is that I would often go there after work to explore new areas in the factory. Each visit to that place uncovered new rooms, areas, and secrets of the facilities. There, I met many other explorers, and I still keep in touch with some of them to this day, back in November 2017. Interestingly, I met Michał there, who had explored Sobieskiego 100 on multiple occasions. I used to watch his films as one of the first when I was looking for materials about abandoned places. Unfortunately, 1.5 years later, the factory was demolished.”

Next, we were curious about what challenges Rafał typically faces when exploring abandoned places, and how he overcomes them. He shared with us: “I think that, first and foremost, there is fear, uncertainty, and the fear of being detected. But curiosity and adrenaline compensate for that. I explored 90% of the places I visited with one or two other people. I believe that going ‘urbexing’ alone is highly dangerous; it's better to have someone who can help or at least call for help in case of an accident. In abandoned places, I'm most afraid of encountering people and, possibly, animals; I don't believe in ghosts. Sometimes, in safer places, I go alone to build my confidence.”

We were also wondering how the explorer prioritizes safety, both for himself and his team. Rafał said: “If I see that a particular structure is in poor technical condition, etc., then I don't enter. During urbex, it's crucial to watch where you step, pay attention to the material the floor is made of. Very old buildings often had wooden ceilings that can collapse due to moisture. For safety reasons, I don't take people I don't know, people who have never been on urbex trips, on explorations with me. I wouldn't want anything to happen to anyone because it's difficult to convey that specific knowledge and intuition. Not everyone has the technical sense to assess risks, and I definitely err on the side of caution.”

Lastly, we asked Rafał if there are any tips he could give to our readers and aspiring urban explorers who want to delve into abandoned places. We were told that: “First and foremost, do not enter places that are closed and secured. Urbex is not about breaking in, so if it's closed, don't force entry. As I mentioned earlier, pay attention to where you step and avoid taking excessive risks for the sake of a film or a photograph.”

On a side note, we would like to encourage you to check out Rafał's channel, GoUrbex. The creator mentioned that some of his videos have English subtitles available for people worldwide curious to follow his impressive adventures.