Chasing El Dorado: A South American adventure

by Aaron Smith

Get ready for a risk-taking rollercoaster ride through the favelas of Rio Di Janeiro and the wayside towns and jungles of South America in search of the secrets of shamans and ayahuasca – the vine of the soul. Aaron Smith’s often hilarious chronicle of love, danger and enlightenment, set in the one of most vibrant places on earth, is a true delight. Whether Aaron is being held at gunpoint in Rio, stranded on the Amazon River; interviewing musician Peter Gabriel for The Iquitos Times, dancing the samba at Carnival with the 60 Minutes team, undergoing initiation as a Matsés warrior, tripping the light fantastic, or falling in love with his beautiful Brazilian wife-to-be, you are bound to ‘experience’, along with him, more than a glimmer of gold. Like William Burroughs before him, Smith is on a journey to save his soul, but instead falls headfirst into the rich kaleidoscope of South American culture and ultimately discovers the truth that lies deep in the jungle or, sometimes, even closer to home. Praise for Aaron’s previous book, Shanti Bloody hanti: An Indian Odyssey
‘The narrative of this spiritual quest/drug-fuelled odyssey is striking and even lyrical, and the tension builds rapidly to a haunting end.’ —Ravi Shenoy, Library Journal ‘Smith's tale is part travelogue, part psychedelic journey, part coming-of-age, and strangely engrossing.’ —Publishers Weekly

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Aaron Smith has been a punk rocker, actor, truck driver, construction worker, scuba diver guide, sound engineer, filmmaker, playwright, English teacher, and barman in various countries. He is now a freelance journalist who continues to travel extensively through Asia and Latin America. His work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, and journals in Australia, the US, and South America. Aaron makes regular appearances on the radio and at literary festivals to discuss his travels. He lives with his Brazilian wife and daughter in Australia (or where ever they drop their bags).

Reviews

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. such an insiteful view of Latin America and its contents. Some suspense and funny parts too.

[Danielle Lavoie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book over the weekend while on holiday.

As someone incredibly fascinated by South American culture and the ayahuasca tradition, I found this book very interesting.

I also felt I could really relate to the moment early on in the book where Smith listens to other backpackers chatting in a cafe talking about their travels as though they are marking off a check list rather than truly experiencing the cultures and the people.

Smith's story itself is certainly unique, and offers an insight to what life is like for Brazilians in Rio while chronicling his experiences with psychedelics. however it does jump around quite a lot and doesn't really seem to have too much point besides the feel good 'I realized I already had what I was looking for'.

All in all an interesting, albeit light read.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75. W27-28.