I step off the bus at Bylakupe with only a few scrawled words of Ronan's to guide me. After taking a rickshaw to the Tibetan settlements i have no idea where I'm to stay and there seems very little provision for foreigners here. Despite this, as we rumble trough the rolling countryside, I'm filled with a peaceful feeling. I arrive in the small settlement of Sera Jhe and, whilst i was still a little confused as to what i was doing here, i managed to find a guest house attached to one of the monasteries. This place seems like a different country. Smiling Tibetans, mostly monks, are everywhere and there's not an Indian to be seen. It's very welcoming and peaceful but something seems to be bothering me and i get the feeling like i don't belong in some way. Whilst I'm checking into the guesthouse I'm asked if i have "a permit", "what permit", "the permit you need if you want to enter the settlements", "Ah!".

I'm allowed to stay anyway so long as i keep my head down, but as I'm walking through the village i become more worried as i see signs helpfully informing me that foreigners caught in the settlements without a permit face a 'possible' 5 year prison sentence and a fine! s***!!

Not knowing what else to do i get in a rickshaw and the driver asks if i want to see the famous 'Golden Temple'?, "why not?, seeing as I'm here now..." but I'm still obviously concerned what's going to happen. Visiting this staggering temple, however, takes my mind off the matter a little. It's beautifully ornate along with being massive and feels as if I'm actually in Tibet (in fact, probably more Tibetan than Tibet feels right now....). The complex includes monks accommodation and various sites of worship. It seems unusual for India that the settlements are so clean and well kept. Definitely a different vibe.

Inside the main temple are three huge 60ft buddhas and ornate wall paintings all around. There's a smattering of Indian tourists but still i see no foreigners. I begin to become worried for my own situation again and decide to return to Bylakupe to see what information i can find out.

The place is smaller than i first imagined. There's nothing but a few shops, rickshaws and a police station. I decide to try my luck with the police to see if i can get an all important permit. To my concern, I'm told sharply that a permit is only available in Delhi and that I'm not to visit the settlements... However, with my baggage in the room at Sera Jhe i must at least return but now I'm even more worried because I've just, myself, informed the police of my intentions to stay there. Walking right into the lion's den as it were!!

On my return i get chatting to one of the monks studying but although he's exceedingly friendly, his grasp of English was not enough to understand my situation and concern. It's now getting pretty late and i decide it's best if i stick around for the night and try to keep my head down.

Over food i meet and talk with the first foreigner I've seen since arrival. He's a Swiss psychologist who's studying buddhist philosophy at the university here. He tells me a lot about the place, including that it is the largest buddhist learning institute in the world with over 5000 monks in Sera Jhe alone. After food (of which the Tibetan noodles were a welcome change to the all to usual Indian fare) he invites me to go for a walk with him. We sit in on a huge outdoor debating session where all of the young monks are enthusiastically debating there teachings with one another and making a tremendous noise. My Swiss friend explains to me some of the protocols and principles of buddhist teaching.

Sitting here amongst thousands of rowdy monks i can't help but feel privileged to have stumbled into this unique, although illegal, situation. I'm sad to but feel tomorrow I'd better leave...