I will never moan about my job again

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- FOOD: Coca leaves (is legal and non drug like in this form), llama - ok but a bit fatty.

- AREA: Beautiful, very lively town with stunning colonial churches being the reminder of a time when it was the richest city in the world.
Cerro Rico mines - anyone who dislikes work should visit this place for a kick up the ass to realise how lucky we are.

- PEOPLE: LOTS of them who wander around the narrow, winding streets at night. Happy (god knows how - maybe the coca leaves and 96% alcohol) miners. Very young tour guides who have already worked in the mines for 5 years and they're only 20.

- WEATHER: SO cold at night as Potosì is 4,100 metres high.


Tue 24th May: The hostel I eventually found after being dropped off by the taxi man in the middle of a hectic, very narrow street was so very cold but they had hot water at least and heating of some description. Didn't have to wear too many layers to bed to keep warm.

Got up early to go on a tour to 'Cerro Rico' (rich mountain) which contains about 500 mines and has 10,000 miners working in it.

Mining started here in the mid 1500's when silver was discovered in the mountain. The Spaniards quickly caught on and before long Potosì became the biggest and richest city in the world. Sadly, many indigenous groups and African slaves brought over to mine died as the working conditions were so appalling.

The population of Potosì dwindled fast when silver's popularity was overtaken by tin. Nowadays, both silver and tin are mined, with London being the biggest buyer of the silver mined here.

The conditions are still terrible in the mines - the law states that only over 18 year olds can work there but as there are no regulations whatsoever, many boys work there, some as young as 14. We visited the market nearby first to buy gifts for the miners - coca leaves, fizzy drinks, cigarettes and dynamite. I was surprised to learn that ANYONE can buy dynamite, including children.

Also for sale was 96% alcohol which the miners like to drink on a Friday night (surprised any of them get to see Saturday morning). I tried the tiniest amount - gross. Most of the miners work there because there's no other work available but those that escape to try office work etc. miss the mines and return before long. Their spirits are somehow really high and they all joke around and laugh a lot even though many do 50+ hour shifts.

We got kitted up in protective clothing, hard hat and lamp and off we went. Before we entered the mine, we chewed coca leaves (to stop altitude sickness - the miners cheeks are stuffed with it, it's all they eat on their shift) but it's so bitter most people spat it out very quickly. A couple of the group got to blow up dynamite which was great fun and we all wanted a go.

The wall outside the entrance to the mines was covered in llama blood - this is a gift to Pachamama (Mother Earth) who looks out for the miners (women can't work in the mines as Pachamama will be jealous!).
Inside the mine we climbed down 4 levels - it got hotter and dustier the further we went and we had to keep stopping at the side to let whizzing trolleys go past (felt like Indiana Jones). The climb down was sometimes very steep and slippery and the tunnels were so narrow it was a blessing to be my size.

We heard dynamite blasts and rubble was falling continuously around us. It did cross my mind at one point that my insurance probably doesn't cover things like this. There is apparently a real risk of being hit by rubble or falling trolleys - so much so that everyone had to sign a form before entering the mines to say they are aware of the risk and therefore the tour company can't be sued!

It was quite hard to breath in the mines and thank god Ciaran who was in the group had told us to buy masks beforehand as there are many gases in the air such as arsenic and sulphur. Shame I didn't listen to his advice to buy gloves as we kept getting told not to touch the walls as they are covered in aspestos. When slipping down a tunnel though, or climbing back up it, it's pretty hard NOT to touch the walls.

We stayed in the mine for 3 hours and by the end we were all SO filthy and my throat was killing me from the gases. I thought I'd be stuck down there at one point as some of the climbs up the rocks are so steep and I needed to be 2 inches taller to make it. Thank god the guides really knew what they were doing and none of our lamps failed!

It was the best feeling in the world seeing the light at the end of the tunnel as we'd all totally had enough by then and I felt a bit like I was buried alive (NOT a good idea to go down there if you're even slightly claustrophobic). A very big lesson has been learnt today. It was amazing to see how happy the miners were even though they work for 50 hours with no food, in the dark, smelly, hot mines where most die young from breathing illnesses or falling rocks. And they only earn 3 quid a day. SHOCKING.

It made me realise how lucky we all are back home and even if we think we've got the worst job in the world, it's nowhere near to this. All the luxury we have in the UK and all the Brits can do is moan about it! Our reputation for moaning does indeed follow us around the world.
So next time you whinge about your job, think about how lucky you really are - or quit and get a new one. Anyone can feel free to direct me straight to this paragraph once I return to the UK and start moaning that I have to go work!!

I tried llama for dinner which was actually quite nice and then we had the luxury of hot showers (well, it was cold to begin with but after half an hour it was the nicest feeling to stand under hot water). I have a feeling though it's going to be a Pantanal type experience with the mud not quite disappearing until a few days later.

I had a wander around Potosì in the evening which is very pretty town with a very lively atmosphere and stacks of shops. The churches, which are all that's left from the rich times, are beautiful and the streets small and winding rather than in a grid pattern. I'm tempted to stay longer as it's such a nice place and I don't feel I've done it justice at all by only doing what everyone comes here for (the mine). But 3 others from my group are going on to Uyuni tomorrow and it'll be nice to travel with them.

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