AN INTREPID pensioner from Hampshire is taking part in an expedition to one of the remotest villages in the world.

Mary Stewart, who is nearly 70, is taking part in The Kota Mama II expedition covering Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina.

The aim of the three-phase expedition is to investigate the possibility of ancient trading links between South America and Africa.

Mary, one of the oldest women taking part, had to undergo a tough interview to join the team of travellers who are being led by respected explorers Colonel John Blashford-Snell and Captain Jim Masters.

The adventurous pensioner has spent the first two weeks working and living with the Chipaya community, located near the Bolivian capital of La Paz - the world's highest capital.

These primitive people live 15,000 feet up in the Andes, where temperatures often drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius at night.

Speaking via a satellite phone, having had no contact with the outside world for a fortnight, Mary, from Lymington in the New Forest, said: "It's been very tough working at such high altitudes. We also got stuck trying to cross the river to this remote village.

"It was 11.30pm at night and we were surrounded by freezing water which was rather frightening."

But Mary is no stranger to the cold. A seasoned traveller, she has spent time in Antarctica as well as hotter climes, which include Peru, Ecuador, America, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf and India.

Since reaching the village, the expedition crew has been helping to improve the villagers' primitive lifestyle with practical and medical help. A retired health officer and trained nurse, Mary's role has been to assist with diagnoses and carry out DNA testing, as it is believed the ancient Chipaya tribe may be related to the Hebrews.

From the mountains, Mary moves to the rivers for the next stage of her adventure that could be the most treacherous yet. The team aim to navigate ancient reed boats through the swamps of South-East Bolivia to River Paraguay and then River Parana to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Piranhas are able to chew the traditional boats, and there are highly-venomous water snakes that have to be contended with. But even this doesn't faze Mary. "I think I inherited my adventurous spirit from my grandfather who went round the world twice in a sailing boat way back in the 1800s," she said.

She does admit she misses her home comforts, though. "I'm looking forward to a long, hot shower when I get back to Lymington," said Mary. She'll have to wait two months for that, though.

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