Cold Hamburg & Warm Coffee

No coffee tonight: that’s my plan. I wanted to sleep early, reset my body clock, and avoid that wide-awake-at-2-a.m. regret that comes after drinking caffeine at the wrong time. Solid plan, right?

Well… that was before Hamburg decided to turn the ship into a floating refrigerator. Cold Hamburg evenings hit different while the ship docked in port. The wind outside feels like it’s just doing its job a little too well, and every step out on deck reminds you why warm climates will always be undefeated. I was on the bridge for my evening watch, trying to stay focused and pretending the temperature wasn’t slowly freezing my soul.

There I was, pacing a little, doing my log entries, checking the surroundings, pretending the shivers were “just part of the job.” Meanwhile, out of the corner of my eye, the coffee machine glowed like it knew my weaknesses. It wasn’t even brewing anything — it was just there, quietly judging me.

I kept telling myself, “Be strong.”
Five minutes later: “Still strong.”
Ten minutes later: “Okay… semi-strong.”
Fifteen minutes later: “Why is that coffee machine looking sexier by the minute?”

By the end of my watch, I gave up the fight. I surrendered like a true sailor who has been bullied by cold weather one too many times. I pressed the button, heard the familiar drip, and finally wrapped my hands around that warm cup like it was a survival tool.

And honestly? Zero regrets.