Today was exhausting once I got to it. I lazed around researching where to go for a bike etc till around 10 then I got up, got ready and left for the S-Bahn (tube) station.

Game on.

Stop 1 - really it was just one stop but as I was about to find out later on, at least a mile away. Walk a lot as I have wrong number for street in my head. Find one shop of supposed two (wrong street) and look at bikes. Considering they were recycled/second hand the prices were extortionate! Walk more. Find next street (close by)

Stop 2 - more bikes at lower but still pretty mad prices considering. Second shop on this street no longer exits :( Sit and contemplate next move. Find info for another shop in Alsterdorf. Locate closest S-Bahn station. Walk some more (over an hour at this point).

Stop 3 - Just past Alsterdorf station. Walk A LOT. Eventually find shop in a "if only I'd turned left" fashion. Annoying. Am now getting gatvol. Only new bikes of the €400-€3500 range. Move on, look for other shop in this area (read: walk a lot more) - it is invisible apparently. Give up. Back to station.

Stop 4 - Langhorn Markt (past airport). Was meant to be Langhorn Nord but there was an issue so the train stopped there. Catch a bus to next station. Walk another 1.3 miles to final option. No signage. Ask a cafe manager who refuses to speak English with me. Thank god for iPhones. Turns out I was mere steps from my destination.

Game on.

Two people spoke English. One was singled out. Poor man, he was good just not confident and I was just like give me any bike that can get me to Rügen (iPhone maps hurrah!) and can do hills! So I looked at two and he recommended the more towny one with a mere 7 gears as it had better quality parts than the other. The other was an 18 speed Mountain Bike - probably a wiser choice regardless of parts. Honestly it couldn't have been worse than mine at home! I caved. Took the other after a quick test trip round the car park. It's wonderful btw :)

It is now 15:15. I am meeting my cousin at 16:ish at the central station where I started this morning. Check map. 8.8miles. s***. Ride like a maniac thinking "if I see a tube station enroute I'll dive in". See no station. Ride like a maniac. Go wrong way around lake in town dodging tourists and add ten mins onto trip. Arrive 15 mins late. Sorry Rob!

Had a nice catchup and drink with my cousin while being deafened occasionally by ice drink maker Costa style. Went back to the hostel and realised I had cheese I was meant to give him. Dope! Tomorrow's first detour!

Found out there was a bike parking area inside the hostel - hurrah! - there were 2 dodgy blokes hanging around mine for ages whilst parked on the square. I'd gone down initially to take my basket off and look at the front brake and the all of a sudden moved off to the side of the square seperately. It is now safe n sound and out of eye view. Downloaded some music and a film and went to sleep.