After struggling to get out of Tupiza we manager to bored an overnight bus to Potosí, famed for its mining of silver and being the highest city in the world. The coach journey was horrible, it stank and there was no room for my legs, however amazingly we managed to sleep for the majority of the journey. We got to Potosí at 6.30am and headed straight to our hostel which was awesome. We had our own ensuite with cable t.v for 6.50 not bad at all. What with the luxury of our own T.V Chloe was unable to sleep so we showered and went out to have a look around the city and book our tour to the mines. Potosí is beautiful narrow streets with balcones over looking, lots of old colonial buildings lovely plazas and beautiful churches. We found the tour operador that had been recommended to us and booked the mine tour for 10 quid, I had to sign a form exempting the company from any injury or accident that may occur explaining that cave in´s, death etc were all possibilities and we cant blame them if any of these happen (Chloe refused to read this!!). We went to a local café and had the most amazing milkshakes and some cakes then went and looked around the local market we both bought a couple of warm winter hats then headed back to the hostel in time for the football. Had dinner at a local BBQ place more beef which I discovered I am now not that interested in following our indulgence in Argentina!

Early start next day, got up and had the best breakfast since being away! First stop on the tour was where we got changed a lovely little grey ensemble with firemans helmet plus a pink bandan to reduce our lungs exposure to the toxic dust down in the mines (looked more like bandits than miners!!) We then seperated into groups depending on which language you spoke obviously following our course me and Chloe went in a spanish speaking group (just a joke English of course!!) our group was given the name the fantastics courtesy of our guide (a former miner). We then went to the miners market to buy gifts for the miners which is customery for all tours. The guide showed us the types of things the miners buy including dynamite (which he threw around and dropped several times much to Chloes horror!) and fizzy drinks (Gaseosas) plus beer and coca leaves. He also showed us some 96% alcoholic drink that they consume obviously being the crazy guy I am I was the only one to try a drop, it was paint stripper absolutely disgusting!! We purchased dynamite (with the promise that we could blow something up at the end of the tour!!) and coca leaves for both ourselves and the miners which came to a grand total of 6 pounds!! We then headed to the refinary and saw the how Basic the machinary was that seperated the minerals from the rocks the miners provided befote heading up to the mines proper. The first tun nel in was ok I was more or less able to stand up staright and breath ok! We visited a museaum in the mine befote we headed down into what can best be described as hell. We first slipped and skidded down a small túnel to the second level befote which we were told to wet our bandanas to assit breathing and reduce dust inhalation further! The second floor was warmer and smaller than the dfirst we made our way through the mines on our hands and knees befote reaching a rickety old ladder that descended to the third floor. Breathing normally was near imposible we were told that the weird smell was arsonic but that it was ok (lots of these deadly gases and dust were definately inhaled as breathing constantly through a damp bandana was not posible) and it was rediculously hot down there. We made our final decent to the 4 level again via a rickety ladder and vististed two brothers who worked together in the mines alone. Again it was so hard breathe and even hotter on this level 60-70m down. We couldn´t believe that these guys worked here for 10hrs straight with nothing but coca leaves and some drink in clostraphbic little vents. We gave the miners their presents and then began to make our way back up. We had our first scare as four guys motored past us pushing a four tonne trolley nearly running us down before heading to another shaft where a guy was transferring the minerals his team had excavated to the surface via rubber bags. It was cooler in here so I gave the guy some help for about 2mins I was shattered after that, honestley I cant explain in enough detail how horrifically hard their jobs are! We then had to make our way back up to the surface the same way we had came down which was even harder!!! We were the last group out and so thankful for fresh air and our guide quickly demonstarted just how powerful the dynamite was, it was bloody loud and left a large crator in the side of the mountain. It was an unbelievable experience but not something we´d like to do again!! Resto f the day was spent watching Chelsea´s European dreams end (hahahahahahahahahahaha!) and recovering from the mines. We left the following day for Sucre a short 3 hr bus ride away.