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My travels are customarily to places well-travelled in. I am not quite drawn to the road not taken. I am not the one to bear risks at all. The sole thing that I look forward to on my travels are the various foods and cuisines I can try while I am on my trips. But do not think I am the type to venture away into the abyss and walk into a small cottage to try an obscure dish. No sir, I prefer my meals to be in cosy restaurants with an extensive menu and good service. This story revolves around food and an unexpected find. It was the 3rd day of my trip to Darjeeling. Being a lone wolf, I had been walking around the Darjeeling mall for quite some time. The sunset found me sitting alone on a bench admiring the Mountain View. The calm that washed over me was so soothing that by the time I came to the stars were all out and so were the mice in my stomach. To tell you about Darjeeling, it closes at 8:30. And I mean closes. All the shops, restaurants, and even the freaking light bulbs are switched off by then. When I reached the Mall, I was quite in a tizzy, and to my utter dismay all the shops were closed. The long walk back had already made my hunger grow quite a bit. A cursory glance at my watch revealed to me that it was 8:45, I was LATE. I let the alarm wash over me. I needed food, but all the means to get a meal was gone. I was left standing alone in the cold and semi-darkness hungry and agitated. Hunger makes people do crazy things. I had heard this phrase but that day I planned to live it. I decided to look for any restaurant, or an eatery open and get my dose of sustenance. Tightening my cap and zipping my jacket I started to walk towards the road less taken, down towards the village. I had come here before during my daily treks, but never ventured into the village. The road was quite steep and littered with horse-shit from the stables nearby. The stink was awful and so was my state. I walked for around 20 minutes in the darkness. All around me I recognised houses and shops that were quite lively in the morning, but lay desolate now. I was about to start my trek back when I saw a small trinket of light come to life beside me. An elderly lady with wrinkles of time on her face came out of the shop beside me. “What happened dear”, I had to strain my ears to hear her wispy vice. “Nothing aunty” I got up, “I was just looking for a restaurant to eat, but it looks like everything is closed.” The grey-haired lady weighed my words and the beckoned me inside. I decided to take her on her offer. If only just to get out of the cold rest for a bit. The inside of her small shop had benches lined across the wall. The combined length of her shop would not have been any larger that my height. “Sit down I will get you something to eat” she voiced in her wispy tone. The small shop was in fact a café. The benches were seats and the chars were all piled in the corner. I was completely taken aback at first but took down a chair and sat quietly. The lady brought out a amazingly tasty soupy Thupka in 10 minutes. I tell you all that Thupka was the best I have ever tasted. The warmth of the gesture coupled with the food was enough to warm my soul. I enjoyed a hearty bowl of Thupka followed by a dessert Churpee. By the time I thanked the lady for her generosity and started my walk back both my heart and soul was full. It was quite a lesson for me to learn that day. I nevertheless do not take the Road, not Taken, but I do occasionally tread close to it. Maybe I will discover something as filling again.