Post: #1

I just wanted to throw up a thread for my travel book, A Dead Bat In Paraguay, a somewhat dark but serious travelogue of my hellish six-month trip through South America from 2007-2008.

Here's the website:

http://www.adeadbatinparaguay.com

Couple reviews:

http://www.rooshv.com/a-dead-bat-in-paraguay-reviews

Behind-the-scenes info:

http://www.rooshv.com/a-dead-bat-in-para...the-scenes

Feel free to ask questions about the book or places there were in it. If your post has plot spoilers please mention that at the top of your post. Thanks!

Post: #2

1. What was your travel route?

2. Why was it hellish?

Post: #3

- Contains Spoilers -

Roosh,

In which country did you originally meet the Brazilian girl, I think name was Paula, that you hung out with in Brazil? I didn't remember her from earlier in the book (although she must have been there).

Other question:

Did you ever consider getting off the "lonely planet" circuit? It seemed like you wanted to (and its pretty common knowledge that "guide book traveling" is horrendous) but you continued on.

Thoughts?

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

Post: #4

(09-20-2009 05:39 PM)Lumiere Wrote:  1. What was your travel route?

2. Why was it hellish?

1. Ecuador > Peru > Bolivia > Salta, Argentina > Chile > Argentina > Uruguay > Puerto Iguacu, Argentina > Paraguay > Brazil

2. Check out the pack I list site of the unfortunate events

(09-21-2009 10:04 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  In which country did you originally meet the Brazilian girl, I think name was Paula, that you hung out with in Brazil? I didn't remember her from earlier in the book (although she must have been there).

Other question:

Did you ever consider getting off the "lonely planet" circuit? It seemed like you wanted to (and its pretty common knowledge that "guide book traveling" is horrendous) but you continued on.

I met her in Rio my first weekend there.

I did consider getting off the lonely planet circuit many times, but I was so beaten that I figured i had to stay on it to be able to continue.

Post: #5

"I did consider getting off the lonely planet circuit many times, but I was so beaten that I figured i had to stay on it to be able to continue."

Gotcha. Yeah, you were pretty tweaked there.

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

Post: #6

Here's a question I got about the book I wanted to answer here:

Quote: had some lingering questions about when you got back from your trip, like how long it took you to adjust, get healthy, and start wishing you were back in south america... you know, the epilogue stuff

My answer:

When I came back from the states I still had some serious side effects from the rabies vaccine (dizziness, chills, fatigue). Those took about a month to fade. My stomach was a complete wreck for a couple months but probiotics started helping. Even today I have lingering problems but it's a lot better (I'm drinking coffee right now... something I couldn't do before). I would say that it took me about 3 or 4 months to feel close to normal again. If I came home right now it would take me less than a couple days achieve this state. That trip really fucked me in the ass.

I started wishing I was on the road again at about 10 months, so it took quite a while to get that ache. I was off four months later. I kind of have it set in my mind that d.c. is not for me, so I don't see future stints there longer than a year.

Post: #7

Spoiler Alert


so...What ever happened to Mariana?

Post: #8

Good question

After my return in Rio I'm going to put out a proper Epilogue.

Post: #9

(10-25-2009 09:50 PM)Roosh Wrote:  Good question

After my return in Rio I'm going to put out a proper Epilogue.

Just bought and read Dead Bat - all in one night - just couldn't put it down! Great reading and right up my street!

When you headed back to Rio?

Yep, I would def like to read an epilogue asafp because:
(a) I'm nosey
(b) I just up and left, too, citing problems at the office (I don't actually have an office)
© I fell prey to what you wrote on p62:
"The nature of the game is you win some and you lose some, but
in the end it’s worth it because you eventually get what you want.
There’s just one problem: once you’re deep in the game it’s hard to quit
even if you do meet the right girl. Things become about conquest
instead of finding a happy relationship. Settling down becomes an
unnatural concept."

Post: #10

I came back to Rio on December 1 of last year. And I leave again in 2 days. I just put the finishing touches on the epilogue today actually. I will release it some time this year.

Post: #11

Roosh,
I received your book a few days ago. Very pleasant and entertaining as well as informative read.
I'm not done with it yet, I'm about 1/3 through it. I was surprised to see you didn't include Colombia on your book as I was/am very curious to hear/read more about that.

Thanks for a great book IMHO. I wish more of those guys travelling accross SA/Asia would be more daring and write books of their adventures. WOuld make for very informative and enjoyable reading experiences.

Post: #12

Well the plan was to hit Colombia on that trip but as you'll read I ran into some difficulties.
I'm working on a separate colombia book right now.

Post: #13

Great book overall. I read it in Cordoba so I found that chapter particularly amusing. The book is also a major reason why I've avoided going to Bolivia.

Highly recommend to people who enjoy Roosh's stories on his blog, as well as anybody going backpacking in South America.

Post: #14

I'm guessing the Medellin Guide is being made into book format.... looking forward to that.

Roosh you mentioned two books this year... any hints??

Post: #15

Colombia book first, hopefully in june, then another game-related book towards the end of the year.

Post: #16

I loved your book. Some of the stories I look as parables and learned lessons from your experiences, others I took as entertaining. I see how this trip sculpted you into a better person.

Post: #17

Thanks M!

Post: #18

Hi Roosh, just wanted to tell you I'm enjoying "A Dead Bat in Paraguay." Bought the Kindle edition yesterday and am up to Huaraz. I had been looking for a decent South American travelogue, hoping to find some insight about Huanchaco, Peru. I'm considering retiring there in 6 years at 55. It sounded like you liked it. But who knows, just joined here, might find out about some place even better. Thanks for the great read!

Post: #19

Perfect timing because just a week ago I updated the Kindle edition with better formatting.

Post: #20

Just finished reading the book in Kindle for Android. I like the title because that means I can get it on my moms amazon account without raising any questions.

Pretty awesome book. I felt for you with your toilet troubles, I can see why you say the trip was hellish. I've had a couple of those situations in India especially once where there was a road blockage for a road strike. I really had to go take a crap but our cars couldn't go through. I had to find a bush to relieve myself......

Post: #21

(09-20-2009 05:32 PM)Roosh Wrote:  I just wanted to throw up a thread for my travel book, A Dead Bat In Paraguay, a somewhat dark but serious travelogue of my hellish six-month trip through South America from 2007-2008.

Here's the website:

http://www.adeadbatinparaguay.com

Couple reviews:

http://www.rooshv.com/a-dead-bat-in-paraguay-reviews

Behind-the-scenes info:

http://www.rooshv.com/a-dead-bat-in-para...the-scenes

Feel free to ask questions about the book or places there were in it. If your post has plot spoilers please mention that at the top of your post. Thanks!

just ordered it. i'll get you feedback soon.

Post: #22

(03-13-2010 05:54 PM)Roosh Wrote:  I came back to Rio on December 1 of last year. And I leave again in 2 days. I just put the finishing touches on the epilogue today actually. I will release it some time this year.

*potential plot spoiler*
i'm 200 pages in in 2 nights. great book so far roosh. i'll finish up tonight. i think many of us feel your pain in the corporate world with bullshit words like syngergies, tps reports, etc.. that shit drives me nuts and so i've been thinking about quitting my job and trekking through south america. not only because i thought it would be adventurous and an experience, but always a cool story to tell and, last but not least, i'd be able to pick up spanish fluently.

so far into your book, i'm glad i've only taken one country trips (colombia, brazil, and argentina) and skipped the other stuff. i have two questions: 1.perhaps you'll release this in your epilogue or maybe i haven't gotten far enough in the book yet, but looking back, what are your thoughts? was the experience (although hellish), net-net, a good thing or do you regret most of the trip?

2. when you went through bolivia and saw the poverty and the mine workers who got paid shit and reduced life expectancy, i know you mentioned working for dr. wang would have been a joy. have you changed your mind on the jobs back at home or have you downsized your life such that your poorer, but happier and free? (i don't know if your books support your prior lifestyle?).

Post: #23

1. In the epilogue I share something thoughts looking back. I found the trip to be a very life changing event that made it more clear what I wanted to do. It also "damaged" me to where I could no longer tolerate the cookie-cutter life I had been previously living in the States. If I'm not in a new country swooping foreign women, I feel dissatisfied.

2. It just made be more appreciative of what I have. While I still couldn't be happy with Dr. Wang, I learned that I need to be more reasonable and realize that so many people have it worse than I have. But I will still chase my happiness ideal.

Post: #24

(08-19-2011 08:09 AM)Roosh Wrote:  1. In the epilogue I share something thoughts looking back. I found the trip to be a very life changing event that made it more clear what I wanted to do. It also "damaged" me to where I could no longer tolerate the cookie-cutter life I had been previously living in the States. If I'm not in a new country swooping foreign women, I feel dissatisfied.

2. It just made be more appreciative of what I have. While I still couldn't be happy with Dr. Wang, I learned that I need to be more reasonable and realize that so many people have it worse than I have. But I will still chase my happiness ideal.

i finished the book last night. dude, that was a great read. it touched on so many areas and hit on many levels besides the obvious travel adventure and banging chicks. to a large degree i think it captured what american males our age are going through in terms of life in general - it certainly resonated with my situation.

i often find myself dissatisfied with the status quo and get restless to move someplace or think the grass is greener elsewhere. sometimes i wonder if i really passed up something good in life because there was more out there for me? anyway, i was somewhat relieved to see that i'm not the only one who goes through this.

i have to commend you for putting yourself out there. you certainly shared some of your real human moments (mariana). i think some people try to act so "alpha" they just suppress their natural human feelings because they think they should act a certain way and be robotic. you made some difficult decisions and sharing those feelings isn't easy.

Post: #25

I just finished reading this book. Goddamn man, I almost got tears at the end with the Mariana thing. It's funny how many similarities I could pick out between your experiences and my own. I've never traveled to SA or for longer than a few weeks, but I had the same sort of "relationship" with a girl I met in the Czech Republic. It really messed with my head, and coming back to the US was almost torturous knowing I'd have to go back to work, deal with workplace assholes, get gas, grocery shopping, pay bills, and other mundane things that really suck the fun out of life while this amazing girl was just waiting for me. You try in vain to keep in touch and keep that magic alive, but it never works.

I saw her again this year when she visited the US and it was just different. She smoked more, looked at her iPhone more, cared more about how she looked and was genuinely a buzzkill. I would've married this girl 5 years ago and now I find her annoying and somehow uglier. Your experience with Mariana really felt similar, and I can just imagine how you were trying to recapture even a fraction of what you had on the prior visit.

Anyways, great read. I can honestly say I might've had a different perspective if I had made the same journey considering I LOVE anything outdoors, but all the same, it was interesting to hear about the dark parts of that culture/continent that a Lonely Planet guide might gloss over. Brazil seems cool as shit