ABOUT  THE  BOOK        Against  All  Odds  takes  you  on  a  worldwide  adventure  filled  with  unexpected  events,  impossible  and  someBmes  life-­‐threatening  situaBons  including  romance,  tragedy,  being  shot  at,  ambushed,  voodoo,  cholera,  Venezuelan  riots,  oil  site  evacuaBons,  aGempted  murder  escape  from  a  crazed  Kazakh  psychopath,  the  KGB  and  more!  

ABOUT  THE  AUTHOR        Originally  from  Swansea,  Wales,  UK,  he  is  an  innovaBve  chartered  professional  in  the  oil  &  gas  industries.  He  has  in-­‐depth  knowledge  of  LNG  plants,  upstream  and  downstream  oil  &  gas  faciliBes,  storage  tanks,  cross  country,  desert  and  subsea  pipelines  and  explains  events  in  over  24  countries,  some  of  which  he  should  not  have  survived.  

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www.author-­‐ralang.com    

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AGAINST  ALL  ODDS  

ONE  MAN’S  STORY  OF  A  LIFE  HE  SHOULD  NOT  HAVE  SURVIVED  

By  R.  A.  Lang  

“Anyone  can  read  a  map,  but  it’s  the  choice  of  which  path  one  follows  that  makes  the  difference.”  R.  A.  Lang  2014.  

Website:  www.author-­‐ralang.com  

About  the  Book  Against  All  Odds  is  an  autobiography  about  a  lifeBme  filled  with  unexpected  events,  impossible,  amazing  and  life  threatening  situaBons.    It   includes   romance,   tragedy,   being   shot   at,   ambushed,   voodoo,   cholera,  Venezuelan   riots,   oil   site   evacuaBons,   aGempted   murder   escape   from   a  Kazakh  psychopath,  the  KGB  and  more!    Against  All  Odds  takes  you  on  a  worldwide  adventure  filled  with  unexpected  events,   impossible   and   someBmes   life   threatening   situaBons.   It's   a   factual  day  by  day  account  of  events   including  tragedy,   the  effects  of  modern  day  voodoo,  love  and  disappointments  on  a  global  scale.      

 Against  All  Odds  is  a  factual  account  of  events,  some  of  which  the  author  should  not  have  survived.  Names  were  changed  in  the  manuscript  for  the  authors  own  protecBon  including  the  Caribbean  island  where  the  voodoo  took  place.    Originally  published  by  Friesen  Press  Btled  "Andy's  Story  -­‐  Too  much  for  a  lifeBme",  this  new  publicaBon  was  redesigned  to  beGer  reflect  its  contents  and  published  in  London  by  Authoright.    Against  All  Odds  includes  an  addiBonal  thirty  thousand  words,  together  with  more  photos  and  detailed  descripBons  of  the  real  life  events  that  inspired  this  amazing  and  someBmes  unbelievable  story.    Chapters  1  -­‐  19  detail  the  author's  global  travels  in  a  most  detailed  and  entertaining  manner,  but  from  chapter  20  onwards  events  really  begin  to  heat  up  which  inspired  Lawrence  Koster  to  write  a  screenplay  for  a  two  hour  Hollywood  movie.  

OriginaBng  in  Wales,  R.  A.  Lang  is  a  dynamic  and  innovaBve  chartered  quality  professional   in  the  oil  and  gas  industries  with  over  30  years  of  experBse,  including  25  years  overseas  successfully  managing  complex  projects  on  an  internaBonal  basis.  He  has  in-­‐depth  knowledge  of  pre-­‐commissioning,  LNG  Plants,  upstream  oil  and  gas  faciliBes,   storage   tanks,   cross   country,   desert   and   subsea  pipelines   and   explains   events   he's   experienced   in  countries  all  over  the  World.  Against  All  Odds  is  chocked  full  of  amazing  events  experienced  worldwide.  

Due   to   the  unfortunate  death  of   the   author's   father   in   1981,   he  was   determined   to  make   the  most   of   his   life   and   avoid   a   life   of  habit  in  Swansea,  Wales,  UK  like  so  many  others  he  knew.  Ager  spending  25  years  working  all  over  the  world   in  the  oil  and  gas   industries,   the   author   reveals   his   many   adventures  commencing   in  1989   in  South  Africa  and  carrying  him  on  to   Iran,  Saudi   Arabia,   Venezuela,   Pakistan,   Libya,   France,   Tunisia,   South  Korea,  Singapore,  Japan,  China,  Indonesia,  Malaysia,  Thailand,  Abu  Dhabi,   Kazakhstan,   Ghana,   Togo,   Benin,   Nigeria,   Qatar,   the  Caribbean  and  Northern  Iraq  to  name  but  a  few.  

Ager   suffering   the   powerful   effects   of   voodoo   in   1998   in   Venezuela,   the   devastaBng   effects   of   voodoo  returned  back  into  his  life  in  2010  in  the  Caribbean  on  a  small  island  just  off  the  Venezuelan  coast.  The   occupaBonal   hardships   he   endured   over   the   years   in   many   countries   including   the   notorious   Benin/Nigerian  West   African   border   crossings   were   just   preparing   him   for   what   lay   ahead   including   his   dramaBc  escape  from  Kazakhstan  ager  a  murder  aGempt  was  done  on  him  and  the  need  to  evade  the  present  day  KGB,  Border  Control  Police  and  a  psychopathic  Kazakh  Lawyer.  LiGle  did  he  know,  his  problems  were  sBll  not  over  when  he  returned  back  to  his  house  in  the  Caribbean!  With  the  author's  passion  for  adventure,  recording  his  memoirs  and  deep  sea  game  fishing,  some  have  referred  to  him  like  a  modern  day  Ernest  Hemingway.  Marine  Biz  TV  interviewed  the  author  in  Dubai  in  October  2013  and  broadcasted  two  30  minute  videos  worldwide.  

About  the  Author  

InspiraIon  

The   author's   inspiraBon,   apart   from   his   25   years  travelling   all   over   the   world   and   experiencing   and  witnessing   the  different   customs  of   foreign   countries,  were   events   which   took   place   since   his   move   to   the  Caribbean   which   were   his   true   inspiraBon   to   share  with  the  world,  his  unbelievable  story.    These   amazing   events   start   from   Chapters   20   to   26,  which   were   also   selected   by   screen   writer   Lawrence  Koster   who   has   wriGen   a   screenplay   for   a   two   hour  Hollywood  movie.    The  most  difficult  part  of  wriBng  the  author's  memoirs  was   the   need   to   remember   events   which   he   had   so  desperately  tried  to  forget.    Voodoo   has   unfortunately   played   a   large   part   of   the  problems   he'd   dealt   with   in   both   Venezuela   and   the  Caribbean,   and   they   are   explained   in   great   detail  in  Against  All  Odds.    

InspiraIon  

As   he   managed   to   survive   against   all   odds,   he   wanted   to  share  with  the  world  what  extraordinary  events  took  place,  giving  him  the  inspiraBon  to  record  events  to  publish.  The   HaiBan   voodoo   priestess   and   crazed   psychopathic  Kazakh  lawyer  shown  here,  each  had  a  hidden  agenda.  The   extraordinary   events   which   took   place   to   arrange   the  murder  of  the  author  are  explained  in  vivid  detail  in  Against  All  Odds.  These   images   were   taken   by   the   author   during   an   illegal  voodoo  ceremony  arranged  by  the  HaiBan  voodoo  priestess  with   the   help   of   her   cousin   who  was   on   the   island   at   the  Bme.  

The  psychopathic  Kazakh  lawyer  had  a  disturbing  fascinaBon  in   voodoo   and   demanded   voodoo   ceremonies   on   a   daily  basis   whilst   on   the   island.   Many   different   materials   were  used   to   conduct   the   voodoo   ceremonies   and   someBmes  birds  were  used  as  a  sacrifice  to  the  spirit(s)  who  were  called  upon  and  visited  during  the  ceremony.  SomeBmes  a  rooster,  someBmes  a  dove  and  someBmes  both!    Under   the   law  on  the  Caribbean   island,   in   the  event  of   the  home   owners   death,   anyone   who   could   prove   they’d  maintained   the   property   automaBcally   became   the   new  owners.    

Real  life  character's,  each  with  a  hidden  agenda  inspired  the  author  to  begin  recording  events  as  they  happened.    

InspiraIon  

Even   though   these   ceremonies  were  held   in   the  author’s  own  home  on  the  Caribbean  island,  he  strongly  protested  against  them,  but  would  be  ignored  every  Bme.    He   would   even   be   threatened   with   voodoo   and   told   it  would   be   focused   on   him   if   he   interrupted   the  ceremonies.   These   ceremonies   and   their   affects   are  explained  in  vivid  detail  in  Against  All  Odds.  

The   four   images   on   the   floor   in   this   photo   are   of   the   four  spirits   who   were   being   invited   into   his   home   to   complete  the   aGendance.   On   this   occasion,   just   two   of   the   spirits  joined.    As   unbelievable,   as   it   all   sounds,   many   details   were   not  included   in   Against   All   Odds,   as   it   would   have   been   an  impossible   task   to   convince   readers   that   such   events  were  actually  witnessed  in  real  life.  

InspiraIon  

These   photos   were   taken   directly   ager   the  murder   aGempt   was   made   on   the   author   in  Atyrau,  Kazakhstan  on  15th  March  2011.    Against   All   Odds   got   its   Btle   from   the  miraculous   escape   the   author   managed   to  make   against   all   the   odds   of   being   caught   by  the   crazed   Kazakh   psychopath   and   her   KGB  relaBves  and  friends  in  March  2011.    With   blood   sBll   seeping   from   two   deep   head  wounds,  the  author  managed  to  conceal  them  while  passing  through  the  border  control  police  in  Atyrau  airport,  all  of  whom  knew  the  lawyer,  and  his  connecBon  with  her.  

Fortunately   the   outside   temperature   was   -­‐48'C   so   all   the   other   passengers   were   also   well   covered   up   so   the  author's  dress  did  not  raise  any  unusual  suspicion.    Upon  arrival  back  on  the  Caribbean  island,  he  sBll  had  the  HaiBan  voodoo  priestess  to  deal  with  together  with  her  boyfriend,  which  had  disastrous  and  near  fatal  results.  

Gallery  

Sakon  Nakon,  Thailand   Thai  Wedding  Ceremony   Yan  Tai  Province,  China   Monument  for  Slaves,  Benin  

Voodoo  origin,  Benin  West  Africa   Original  Slave  CounIng  Offices   Author’s  Armed  Escort,  Nigeria   Notorious  Border,  Benin/Nigeria  

Game  Fishing,  Caribbean   Game  Fishing,  Caribbean   Southern  Japan   Tokyo,  Japan  

Gallery  

Southern  Thailand   Batam  Island,  Indonesia   Doha,  Qatar   Osaka  Airport,  Japan  

Mall  of  the  Emirates,  Dubai   Secretary,  Seoul,  South  Korea   Soi  24,  Bangkok,  Thailand   New  Years  Eve,  Bangkok  

Bangkok  Ca]ish   Another  Ca]ish   Wi  and  Booboo,  Bangkok   Back  to  Work