Came to Punta Arenas with friends I made on the hike. The city is special as I met locals from Punta Arenas in Malaga 2 years ago and heard stories of climbing and penguins. Seeing a familiar face so far away is special, makes you realise how small the world is and how every culture is the same but different.

We went to a beer festival, perhaps the most southern festival in the world? Barbecue, lots of beers and someone dressed as Homer Simpson, classic beer festival vibes. Met my friend there who I haven’t seen in years, surreal to connect again this time next to Antartica.

It was a very strange few days. My friend had to work at the festival so couldn’t see her much during my time here but had my hiking friends with me to explore the city.

Saw a violent street fight break out and after de-escalating the situation, bonded with a german local who could speak Spanish and played the key role in calming down the situation. Seeing a bloody fight, specially when someone has the intent to kill is always hard.

The german local was with his wife and kids, when we chatted he mentioned he felt specially bad for his kids seeing this but it is part of life and you can’t shield them from it. The same words echoed by her wife made me realise how beautiful their partnership was. If this guy had not intervened, me with my broken Spanish probably wouldn’t have been able to de-escalate. If me and him both weren’t there, the other guy was most likely dead. Oh the choices we have to make and the reactions we don’t get to choose.

For those reading this, this is an exception. A drunken brawl that happens in your city as well as here. Punta Arenas is a small cozy town worth visiting with very friendly locals.

I have been pondering over my dilemma of where to go next. Down south to Ushuaia or Puerto Williams to hike in the wilderness or up north to El Chalten for my climbing journey. I promised myself to lean into what feels good and not plan.

I write this while I am in the bus going up north towards the direction of El Chalten. While in the bus I start thinking it would have been better to spend more time with my fiend or see more friends I have made in the cities around. I can’t but wonder am I rushing to go to the next place where I have things planned and in control, or am I actually letting the universe do its thing?

I don’t have the answers as I am but a sum of all my conscious decisions but I do feel a part of my calm shaken up with dilemas popping up all around. The calm comes and goes but the journey continues.