When Manuel's sister suddenly disappears under mysterious circumstances, he decides to embark on a journey to find her, traveling between Thailand and Japan. But he suddenly finds himself having to defend himself in a foreign land! His sister had promised to take him and escape with him to Europe, far from Bogotá and its political and social turmoil at the time. The Colombian consul in New Delhi intervenes in the case, and we learn what is happening from him; he is forced to delve into the past, uncovering the secrets and reasons behind the girl's disappearance. He travels between India and Thailand, then from Japan to Iran. Along the way, we encounter a multitude of writers, paintings, drinks, and situations that piece together one picture after another, culminating in an incident whose cause and logic remain unclear. This novel, resembling a collection of memoirs, weaves together people, journeys, and countries; it is a story of the struggle against corruption, the tenacity of life, the disintegration of the family, and the dreams of the middle class.