Valdivia also has a very unique Museum of Contemporary Art. This particular style of art is not my favorite, perhaps because I don`t understand it... but the building was quite unique. An old, ancient cave and tunnels, enclosed in a huge glass structure, that blend and merge together in a somehow very fitting unison - as appropriate for such a museum. Worth a visit. And there was also a cinema, with the second Harry Potter movie featuring... in Spanish.

Then I got confused, as far as what to do next with my trip. My initial plan was to go south, all the way to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego - attempting to cycle it. By that time, however, I have realized that my bike is a bit too gentle for the Chilean gravel, and it won`t work. So Barney and I had a meeting and reached an executive decision. Well, actually, I reached the decision and Barney silently supported it. We decided to leave the bike, and some gear, and go backpacking south for a few weeks. Then come back and cycle some more.

Following the decision came two days of just cycling, getting from Valdivia to Puerto Montt, where a plane was waiting for me (and a whole lot of other people) to take off south. These two days were very good, pretty much cycling nonstop. I was also going through some Vancouver and friends separation and loneliness moments, and - for me - cycling is one of the better activities to contemplate and think and be in my own world. And I was... for a whole of about 220 km of thoughts. LOTS of thinking, lots of time to miss people and be sad.

Now my bike and some more gear are safely stored in a nice hostel in Puerto Varas. For the next 3 weeks I am going to live my life off a 38 liter backpack and whatever it can hold. I can tell you it is not really that much, but should be enough. A variety of clothes for all occasions, some basics, cameras... and my harmonica, which I have actually played a few times - for myself only. I am still not ready to venture in public with my music.

Yesterday I arrived to Punto Arenas and transferred to Punto Natales. Very much south, very much Patagonia, very much the end of the world, across the Magellan Straits. It is big, huge, windy, beautiful, unforgiving. While looking out the bus window yesterday, I could see the Patagonian pampas as far as the eye could see, in all directions. Somewhere far away, the Pam was stopped by either clouds, or mountains, just before the horizon. The clouds are constantly moving, the sun is playing hide-and-seek, and the locals say that here there are four seasons - often in the same day. It gets bright very early in the day, and stays bright till about 11 PM. This is REALLY it!

Tomorrow another adventure begins. Torres del Paines is one of the most beautiful (if not the most) national parks in Chile, and I am off for a 5 days trekking the nature, the mountains, the glaciers, the forests. There are little mini-hostels (called "refugios") where I will be sleeping and eating. As far as water, all the lakes and the rivers in this area are absolutely safe to drink... and I was a bit surprised, since I don`t remember the last time I was in an area where that was possible.

After that, I don`t know. Plans do unfold on a daily basis, and I am really taking it moment by moment. Buying food for one day, or for one meal at a time. There are glaciers to explore, places to wander around. I also want to go even more south, to an Argentinean town called Ushiaia which is really the end of the continent. Perhaps cross over to Argentina for a few days. Or not. We shall see how the cards unfold...

On this definite and conclusive note, I will wrap up. Wishing you the adventure of living life one day at a time, unfolding the mysteries and the surprises it holds for each and every one of us.