Hannover - Day 16
Finding an open coffee spot was so much easier when it wasn’t a holiday—definitely not like back in the U.S., where you can grab a cup any day of the year. We stumbled upon this cute little café called Fluffy and treated ourselves to some seriously delicious coffees. I couldn’t resist ordering the chocolate sleeping bear stuffed with caramel cake—it was as adorable as it was tasty.
Since we had been walking so much and the rain kept chasing us around Hannover, I wanted to find something indoors and low-effort. That’s when I remembered passing a bowling alley and suggested we go. Honestly, it was such a fun break! I totally crushed the first game, Jonas took the second, and the highlight? I somehow convinced him to granny bowl for me. Absolutely made my day!
Jonas had been telling me about this pizza place he was dying to take me to, so of course we had to go. I spotted a salad on the menu that looked too good to pass up, so we decided to split a pizza and get the salad—best of both worlds. And let me tell you, both did not disappoint. The pizza was perfect, and the salad was just as amazing. Total win!
Thanks to the ever-unpredictable Deutsche Bahn, my train ended up delayed—who knows how many times. Jonas was so sweet to stick around longer than we’d planned, keeping me company as we wandered the city with no real agenda, just soaking in the architecture. I’ve been trying to turn all my friends into makeshift tour guides this trip, and Jonas was no exception. I kept asking him about random buildings, and when he didn’t know, I’d just make him guess—usually claiming, “They probably manufacture cars, right?” The first few times he played along, saying no, but eventually, I convinced him: “Just make up a story, say it with confidence, and I’ll believe you!” One of my favorite videos from the trip is him explaining the significance of some stones along the path—it’s pure gold and never fails to make me smile just thinking about it.
Boarding my train back to Hamburg hit me like a ton of bricks—I was suddenly hit with the full weight of “this trip is ending, and I have to go home.” The first half hour was a blur of trying not to cry as I slowly made my way back, replaying all the amazing experiences I’d had. Meeting friends I’d only known online, wandering new cities, and just soaking up the adventure… it all hit me at once, and honestly, I felt a little crushed for the week after. Of course, the travel drama didn’t end there. I had to fly through Heathrow again, and apparently, something suspicious set off alarms with my shoes—probably my poor swollen feet. During my layover, I grabbed an English breakfast and just sat there, exhausted, dreading the nine-hour flight home.
