I peered out the window next to my seat and saw nothing but empty meadows for hours. In the distance, snow-capped mountains offered a more picturesque view. The train ride did not offer anything adventurous for the whole journey as I was slowly making my way toward my destination. What was it? It was to be my first time living as a monk, my first step to a life forgotten throughout the rest of the world.

Billboards along the tracks passed me by, but I felt no regard to read or even glance at them. All I did think of was how monastic life would be like. Not many people in this world would even dream of pursuing such a path. This is the technological age. No one had any time to think of ancient religion or custom. Look to the future, everyone tells me.

The train made a sudden halt. I looked up to see where we had stopped. ''Is this the last station?'' I asked out loudly. Another passenger who was getting off answered me, ''Nope, it won't be for another hour or so.'' I slouched back into my seat.

Funny, I would be the only person departing at the very last stop. No one else on the train but me was planning on going there. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. I got out of my seat to check on my stuff. My suitcase underneath me contained only my clothes, the traditional tunic the monks wore.

I was suddenly growing weary, so I got up and walked around the car to loosen up my body. I was the only remaining passenger on the train. When I got back to my seat the entire train went completely dark. It was passing through a tunnel.

I began to hear loud noises, almost like grinding sheet metal. The passenger car I was in started to rock and back and forth. This isn't good, I thought, and I fastened my seatbelt to its very tightest and closed my eyes. The lights above me began flickering on and off.

But then the entire nightmare ended as quickly as it had started. The whole train calmly slowed down on the tracks. I began to see daylight reaching out at the end of the tunnel.

By the time the train inched its way car after car out of the tunnel's darkness, I was literally crazed by what I saw on the other side. There was lush greenery, high mountains, rolling hills, rivers, every inch of it was incredible scenery.

When I looked high up above, there were monasteries located on almost every mountainside with cable car transports connecting between them. Gigantic airships in the skies and industrial factories were in view, with an omnipotent mist hanging in the atmosphere.

''Last stop, end of the line,'' the conductor announced. The train pulled up to the station and the doors opened. I quickly grabbed my belongings and finally stepped off the train after a long grueling ride. The doors closed behind me and the train took off.

Everywhere I looked, there were monks, men and women. In fact, monks lived and worked anywhere I went. One came up to me. ''You must be the one we have been expecting,'' he said. I nodded my head and followed him past the train station to an escalator, which lead into one of the monasteries high up in one of the mountains.

The monk showed me where I would be staying. ''Here is your living quarters. We will further indoctrinate you on everything you have to know about adjustment to life here. Enjoy your stay,'' he said. I gazed outside and realized no matter where I would be staying I would have a great view regardless.

Soon afterwards, I was given a tour of the place. I quickly changed my attire and wore the traditional robe everyone else did. The same monk came back and I followed him up another escalator to an airport, which was situated on the very top of the mountain. From up here, I noticed the other mountains all had their own respective airports. Awaiting me would be one of those gigantic airships I saw earlier. I quickly climbed onboard and fastened myself in my seat.

''As you know, we are a very customary and religious people,'' the monk told me. Even aboard the airship, there was a temple where monks were praying.

''We are the last surviving followers of this kind of life and we hope to preserve it,'' he explained. The airship's propellers and engines began to start and we slowly lifted off from the ground.

''How did you master such technology?'' I asked him, as I looked at everything below me.

''We understand the importance of keeping up with the times. The rest of the world has advanced, and we want to as well. Our ways are very sacred to us, and throughout this developmental process we made certain we do not lose it,'' the monk said.

For him, I thought, it was a matter of not being left behind. What did it matter if the old and the new clash amongst one another? In this place, a place that most people of the outside world have never even heard of, one can acquire a better understanding.

The people had obviously not lost their ancient religious character and personality. They live in such a futuristic industrial setting, but yet they successfully and creatively applied and integrated their old arts the same way for thousands of years. Despite their rather primitive appearance, the monks had learned and mastered everything from astronomy to engineering.

Before I realized it, the airship slowly began to descend. We landed in another airport atop another mountain where the ship was being refueled. When we got off, I followed the monk to a room inside the airport terminal that housed an elevator. The elevator brought us down into an underground facility, unlike anything I've ever seen before.

''This is the last place I want to show you,'' said the monk. I walked closer until a wall of glass stopped me. On the other side was a rocket-propelled space shuttle. Everywhere, monks were doing fine repairs and working on its mechanics. Telescopic towers filled the airspace. And much like everywhere else, there was a temple available for convenient times of worship.

''A rocket,'' I said, ''You guys built this?''

''Why yes,'' the monk humbly remarked.

''How? And why?'' I wondered.

''It is our final resort,'' said the monk, ''When the world becomes inefficient to hold our culture any longer, we will take whatever we can with us to this place.'' The monk revealed to me a screen on one of the monitors. It was the footage of a space station. They had already sent a manned space station to the stars, and in working order nonetheless.

''That is Ningkura, our next home away from here. When the time is right, we will leave and go there,'' he said. ''But please, do not let our current advancements deter you from proceeding with your pilgrimage.'' As odd as it sounded, I agreed with the guy.

I followed him back to the airport and returned to the monastery, just in time for the evening prayers. It was my first step to knowing what it was like to live a monastic life.