The Bus

I got on a bus.

POV: Estonia.

It’s my day off, and by now I’ve explored the city center about ten times over. The other volunteers and hostel guests are all taking weekend trips to Tallinn (capital of Estonia), Riga (capital of Latvia)—someone even suggested Vilnius, Lithuania.

But… I’m a traveler on a tight budget.

I like my money quite a lot, and ironically, I’m of the opinion that you don’t have to go far to travel ~ So, I got on the first bus I saw this morning and let it take me wherever it pleased.

I stayed past the last stop—there was no announcement!—and eventually, the bus driver pulled into a dirt parking lot. I figured I’d wait for her to loop back to the city, but the bus just… sat there. Two minutes passed. Then five. Then more. At that point, I decided: this is where my adventure begins—a dusty parking lot with absolutely nothing of interest in sight.

When I got off, the bus driver (who didn’t even know I was there) looked absolutely flabbergasted that I, a person clearly unaware of where they were, calmly stepped off the bus in the middle of nowhere and just... started walking.

You might think I was nervous, or excited, or even a little giddy—but have you ever just watched water run over pebbles? That was me. No stress. Just vibes.

So I walked.

I found a nice wooden playground. Sat on a swing for a while, humming to myself.

Walked some more.

Debated whether or not to buy a snack in a hardware store.

Walked some more.

Eventually, I got lunch from a mini gas-station-like store thingamajig, waiting in line behind a group of men who were probably on their lunch break. I pointed at a word on the menu that looked like “Poomidaikasd” because how could you not try something with a name like that and watched curiously as the employee assembled a mystery takeout box for me. It ended up being a chicken cutlet with potatoes, sauerkraut, and some sort of red beet salad. Note: this is why I’m a “flexitarian” when traveling, though I prefer to be vegetarian. 

Walked some more.

Sat on a bench in 0°C weather and enjoyed my food.

Walked some more.

Spotted a bus station and wondered if I should head back.

Walked some more.

And then—I found the most beautiful shopping center/mall I’ve ever been to.

There were trees in the corridor. Skylights lining the ceiling. Artistically painted walls. 

Fruit and honey stands, street food stalls, niche clothing stores, sweet shops—you name it—littered the passageways right alongside the big grocery, homeware, and hardware stores. Malls should feel like this—like a permanent indoor farmer’s market. 

I sat by the ice rink (because what does this mall NOT have?), watching skaters spin and leap with an almost spellbinding grace. You could see their passion clearest when they tripped, hit the ice, brushed themselves off, and tried again. Entranced, I pulled out my sketchbook and started drawing—a habit that started in Poland.

Later, I wandered upstairs to the second-floor library and read my book (that I borrowed from the hostel) for a few hours, pausing once to buy myself a strange stick of jelly-covered walnuts. 

It was a long, lovely walk back to the hostel with the setting sun.

The bus that day took me exactly where I wanted to go.

Thanks for reading! Today, take a left turn where you normally take a right. See where it takes you. ❤️