Sometimes you remember a place not because you planned to go there, but because you were tired enough to stop anywhere and hungry enough to appreciate everything.
This was in Rishikesh. I was there with Yash, one of my friends from college. We had gone on a long trek towards some hidden waterfall somewhere above Rishikesh. I honestly do not remember the exact name of the waterfall. I only remember that the route kept going upwards, the weather was good, and after a point we had no idea whether we were still on the correct path.
Which is usually how the best treks work.
We eventually reached the waterfall, spent some time there, and then started walking back. By the time we were coming down, we were exhausted and extremely hungry. There was no proper plan for food. Just a random place on the way.
Yash entered and immediately asked the most important question of the day. Bhaiya, cold coffee mil jayegi? Priorities were very clear.
We sat down, ordered something to drink, and then saw a cinnamon roll. I had never had one before. It looked simple. Slightly warm. Soft from the inside. Sweet, but not unnecessarily sweet. And then I took the first bite.
I think some foods become memorable because they arrive at the correct time. Maybe the cinnamon roll was genuinely very good. Maybe we were just tired after walking for hours. Maybe hunger improves every experience. Most likely, it was all three.
You go out looking for a waterfall and return remembering a cinnamon roll. You plan a trek and accidentally find a café. The waterfall was beautiful. The trek was worth it. The cold coffee was necessary. But the cinnamon roll was the real find. The OG cinnamon roll. And honestly, still the standard.