Translation of empty-handed in German

I am Spanish Teacher. I graduated last year, in August. I studied mostly in Germany. I have been working for nine months as a teacher in many language schools but soon I will be a student again.
We had dinner in a Chinese restaurant not far from where we slept, but it was not good at all. We walked home and slept early. The coming morning we were picked up on the backpackers' street.
After a while a truck drove by. The driver offered us a ride on the back of the truck. We jumped in. A little later we were back in the hotel, exhausted and hungry. It was time for another great meal.