The street less travelled

I'm generally a creature of routine, but every now and then I like to shake things up, even if it's only in a small way.

I walk to most places I go in my day-to-day life, but I tend to follow the same routes each time. Occasionally though, I like to take a different path to explore laneways and streets I've never been down before. Just for something different, and I'm often rewarded.

Yesterday, on my way to do my grocery shopping, I took a different street and found the Cottage that Time Forgot (above and below). I was captivated. It's in one of Melbourne's oldest suburbs, which still retains many of its old buildings, tiny terrace houses and grand houses, but most have been renovated and modernised. This one is a little time capsule, a relic in a bustling, inner-city suburb of a modern and rapidly growing city of nearly 4 million people.

It's also unusual because it's a detached timber dwelling - not a common sight in the area. I love the lichen-covered tiles on the roof and the way it's partially hidden by shrubbery, which adds an air of mystery.

I half-expected a grey-haired, wizened woman to come out and screech at me as I was taking photos!

Are you a creature of routine? Do you like to shake things up sometimes? Have you discovered anything captivating on a path less travelled?