| DIARY 9 |
| 6th Sept 2005 Sucre is a pretty town - declared a UNESCO world herritage site so no neon signs allowed and buildings have to be white washed once a year. Wandered round the town looking at stalls and sat in the plaza for a while before catching the 'dino truck' out of town to a cement factory where dinosaur footprints have been discovered. The footprints were very clear and huge - and it's the only place in the world where there are tracks - you can see some that were walking and some that were running. Back in town that evening Claire had her hair washed, cut and blowdryed for 2 pounds and it looked just as good as the 80 pound cut at home - if not better!!! 7th Sept 2005 Morning spent in Sucre before catching a bus to Potosi - the highest city in the world. Potosi was created due to the Cerro Rico (Rich Mountain) that lies above the city - once the richest source of silver the world has ever seen. Unfortunately no pure silver is left and the town is now rather tatty and poor. Posted some more bits home - they are so slow here and you have to go to so many different departments for checking, stamps, official mark, to pay etc..... Brentwood PO looks most efficient!!! 8th Sept 2005 Not a very good night's sleep - possibly due to the altitude (can cause insomnia) and our first early start for a while. Visited one of the mines at Cerro Rico which is still in use. Had to sign a disclaimer because it's so dangerous - had to give contact details in England in case anything happened!!!! First stop was to get overalls, wellies, hard hat and lamp and then to the miner's market to buy gifts for the miners (fizzy drinks, coca leaves and dynamite - as you do!!!). As there is no pure silver left they mine for what is a mix of silver, zinc and lead which then needs to be refined to extract the minerals - most of it is scrapped. So we visited the refinery and basically walked around the machinery - lets just say health and safety would have a field day!!! Then off to the actual mine, where we went down 3 levels, crawling at times in dusty and hot conditions - not pleasant at all. We also had to dodge the trollies as the miners pushed them along the tracks out of the mine - they don't stop for anyone as time means money, at one point Terry had to push me out of the way just in time for a two tonne trolly. The miners start work at the age of 12 or 13 and they work for themselves in teams, so have to but all their clothes, tools and dynamite out of the wages they get - doesn't leave them with much. They choose how many hours and days they want to work. They don't have a very long life expectancy - if they don't get killed in the mines (approx 27 a year die from accidents - no tourists as yet) most of them die with breathing problems or silocosis before they reach 50. After three hours inside the mine we were glad to get out - esp Claire who had been pannicking a few times - don't know how they do it!!! Outside, our guide demonstrated a stick of dynamite. That evening we caught a bus to the Argentine border - remembering to take our sleeping bag for the cold,only to find this bus was warm - can't win!!! 9th Sept 2005 Arrived in Villazon (Arg border town) at 6am after no sleep on Bolivia's bumpy roads, crossed over into Arg (told the clocks had changed again) and then got a bus to Salta - oh what a difference..... you can tell Argentina was once the fifth richest country in the world - the buses are so nice, the roads are smooth and altogether a much more pleasant experience - and still cheap because their economy collapsed a couple of years ago! Arrived in Salta at 3.30pm and found another bus leaving at 4.30pm to Posadas (near the Paraguay border) - so freshened up in the toilets and jumped on another bus!! 10th Sept 2005 Arrived in Posadas about midday - 2 hours late because the bus broke down. Maybe buses in Arg aren't so good!!! Very hot journey - in desperate need of shower (haven't had one since the day before the mine - smelllllyyyyyyyy). Crossed the border and got to Encarnacion in Paraguay and found a lovely hotel with a fantastic shower and swimming pool too. Walking round town we noticed the clocks had changed again, but they go back and forwards despite always heading in the same direction towards the UK!! Had a meal and then collapsed in hotel room watching English films - buses take it out of you!! Huge thunderstorm that night. 11th Sept 2005 Poured with rain all night and woke up to find it cold and wet. Got bus through Paraguay to Ciudad del Este and crossed into Brazil. Decided not to do Iguazu Falls straight away because of bad weather, so went to airport to get flight to Rio. Had to wait until next day so ended up in a posh hotel near the airport - only option - bit of luxury nice though!!! Buffet dinner - made pigs of ourselves. Oh and of course - the time had changed again!!!! 12th Sept 2005 Flight to Rio - landed about 3.00pm and booked a return flight for the Friday. Went outside to find it was 29 degrees, but overcast. Got a bus from the airport, through the city to Copacabana - like excited school children when we saw the beach!!! Wandered around for ages trying to find a hostel that had been recommended to us, but gave up when it got dark and bags got too heavy. Asked a taxi driver for a cheap hotel and ended up at the Copa Mar, a couple of blocks from Copacabana beach and cheapish considering the size of the room, huge ensuite, table and chairs, control panel next to bed for tv, radio, air con and lights, and mirrors on the walls and ceiling. Got changed and went out for dinner on the beach front. Stepped outside hotel to find it was now raining - but still warm. Found an 'all you can eat' menu, so we stuffed ourselves again. |