#256. 05/02/05 Oruro / Potosi

Heading ever southwards and hearing bad stories about the state of southern Bolivian roads, we decided to go all out and get the train (such a novelty here!) to Uyuni. The train journey, although still slow, is slightly more comfortable and goes through some amazing countryside. This necessated a stop off in Oruro in the full swings of Carnival, which although fun, is reflected in the hotel and other prices. Alas and predictably, the train came off the rails before we even got on. With the hotels and buses full, we found ourselves making a forced, but entirely enjoyable diversion to the mining town of Potosi.

Within hours of arriving we were donning boots and hard hats and heading down pit. The Spanish mined all the silver from the hills here so now small, desperate co-operatives of locals scrape our meagre amounts of tin and zinc. Halfway into the mountain watching them work in medieval conditions, they were glad of the gifts we brought of whisky and cigarettes and coca leaves. The mines are claustrophic and dirty and rumble with the sound of dynamite exploding. It's shocking to learn of these people working here all day every day for barely anything and huge risks. It's also encouraging to hear how the workers organise themselves with social benefits and life insurance and that the profits aren't going to any fatcat management.

Caked in soot and dirt and heading back to the hotel for a shower, we made the mistake of walking through the plaza whilst Carnival was in full swing. Carnival here means water fight and at the sight of two gringos the war was against us. Needless to say, we didn't need that shower after all. People here know how to party. Random all-day street dancing, bands and parades just wandering about the street with no apparant pattern.

Perhaps it's just Carnival, but, despite being poorer than their neighbours, Bolivians seem happier and friendlier than other peoples. It's a nightmare trying to get anyway on a bus or otherwise, but it's a great country to visit and it's a shame to leave, but with so little time left, we have to get going.