Just coming to the end of our short stay in Potosi, Bolivia. This town, made wealthy by its silver mining lies at an altitude of just over 4,000 metres (the typical European ski resort is about 2,000 metres). The effects of the altitude are astonishing. For the past couple of days we have both been very short of breath simply by climbing a short flight of stairs, so there is no chance of forgetting that this is the world´s highest city. Went for a meal one night that was at a restaurant down quite a steep hill. Easy to get to, but absolute agony on the way back. Hopefully get used to it before the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu, otherwise we are on the train with the American tourists. The main attraction of the town is the working mine, which you can actually visit. The silver deposits are almost non existent, and Commercial interests in the mines ceased decades ago. Now, some 6,000 individuals scrape what they can from the network of tunnels that lie within the ´Rich Mountain´. This is where third world mining and tourism meet. It aint Disneyland that´s for sure. The system is that you pay just a couple of quid for the 3 hour tour, but before going underground, you have to go off to one of the shops at the bottom of the mountain and buy gifts for the miners. The suggested gifts are biscuits and pop (fair enough) a bag of coca leaves for them to chew on (mildly narcotic effect and appetite surpressant), 96% proof alcohol (to help them through the day) and dynamite!! You then have to take these gifts yourself into the mountain and hand to the miners, being careful not to blow yourself up! No matter how careful you are, you still face death before you go down the shaft, as the guide takes some dynamite from you, attaches the fuse and lights it in front of you. The dynamite, with ever shortening fuse is then passed around the tourists for photo opportunities before the guide takes it 20 metres away while everyone takes cover, waiting for the bang. Crazy. Conditions in the mine are almost medieval. No means of detecting poisonous gases (other than watching for the colour of the flame on the lamp changing colour) manual tools only for extraction and a system to warn other miners (and tourists) of an imminent explosion being three short knocks on the tunnel wall with a hammer. You have a tour of a section of the workings, dodging kids as young as 10 hauling wheelbarrows of waste materia and larger trucks on their way to the surface, whilst keeping a close eye through the virtual darkness (the only light is from the lamp on your hat) for unmarked shafts as you walk. You get to meet the miners, and see them work. They look a bit pissed off that you are keeping them from their work, but go mad when you pull out the gifts - especially the alcohol and coca leaves. A thoroughly enjoyable if disturbing tour. Photos to follow. Simon