Sifu Terry Hodgkinson aka "wandering ninja" ventures further north in India. This time it's to restricted area called Sikkim. If you plan on visiting this unknown paradise you need to apply for a special permit which will be stamped upon entering and when leaving. "The jeep ride to Pelling in west Sikkim was awesome! Okay maybe not the jeep ride itself, as it was crowded but the scenery was incredible. Winding rivers, lots of greenery and magnificent trees, waterfalls and lots and lots of colourful flowers. Getting to the small mountainous town of Pelling was a relief, it's always great to stretch your legs and breathe deeply the clean, crisp air. I booked a room at the Guruda guesthouse and it was quite nice. If you are ever there say hi to the manager whose name is Shiva. He's a really helpful and nice guy. Next we would visit the The Pemayangtse Buddhist Monastery not far from Pelling and the views of Mount Khanchendzonga was very impressive. After a few hours at the monastery we traveled to a quaint village tucked away in the hills. It was great to see these people wearing their traditional nose ring jewelry and clothing as the tended to their chores for the day." - Terry Hodgkinson ABOUT PELLING: The town of Pelling is famous for it's magnificent views of the snow-capped mountains of Kanchenjunga and its ranges it has a rich history, nature environment and local culture. Situated at an altitude of 1,900 m (6,250 ft), the location offers good views of the surrounding mountain ranges including the Koktang, Frey, Rathong, Kabru North and Kabru South, Kabru Dom, Talung Kanchenjunga, Pandim, Jopuno,Tinchikhang, Narsing and others. Pelling is as close as you can get to Kanchenjunga without leaving the material comfort of good hotels and due to its advantageous location, many hotels and lodges have established in and around Pelling. ABOUT Pemayangtse Monastery:: The Pemayangtse Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in Pemayangtse, near Pelling in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim, located 140 kilometres (87 mi) west of Gangtok. Planned, designed and founded by Lama Lhatsun Chempo in 1705, it is one of the oldest and premier monasteries of Sikkim. It is not only one of the oldest monasteries of Sikkim but also the most famous in west Sikkim. Originally built by Lhatsun Chenpo in the 17th century, as a small Lhakhang, it was subsequently enlarged during the reign of the third Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal who was considered as Lhatsun Chenpo's third reincarnate, Jigme Pawo. The monastery follows the Nyingma Order of Tibet Buddhism and controls all other monasteries of that Order in Sikkim. The monks of this monastery are normally chosen from the Bhutias of Sikkim. The monastery was built for "pure monks" (ta-tshang) meaning "monks of pure Tibetan lineage", celibate and without any physical abnormality. This practice is still retained. Only the monks of Pemayangtse Monastery are entitled to the title "ta-tshang". The head lama of this monastery had the unique privilege of anointing the Chogyals of the erstwhile monarchy of Sikkim with holy water. Pemayangtse means "Perfect Sublime Lotus", and is said to represent one of the four plexus of the human body. For more information regarding traveling with small groups to visit exotic international locals with Terry as your personal guide please visit http://www.InnerOuterYou.com or call 416-732-0429

• published: 12 Jul 2013
• views: 15055