Did you stay in tents or hotels for the trip? You bring up a good point about security, sleeping in a tent won't be much on the secure side, not to mention opens up the question on where you are going to shower and take care of business.
Security is always something in your mind. Out of 120`000km of international overlanding I had two really dangerous situations, one in mauretania (africa), one in europe (spain). Mostly there where you dont exept it.
We don't live on a planet where "saw movies" or similar horror movies are realistic scenarios. Winning the lottery is far more likely than getting caught up in something bad without doing your own part.
Cuba is very safe, laos and thailand are very safe locations too. And I`m a guy, 1.94m - mostly a lot taller than the locals. Why should anyone try to get me mad?
At least if you are there for travelling - and are not for asking for problems, you can travel those countries without any further preparation (basic research is always helpful, read below).
Asking for problems are: drugs, doing illegal stuff, beeing not nice to others, girls, showing your richness. You are a guest, you dont fight for the right thing, for your rights, for what you think is your right. Be nice, be defensive, be open mindet, spend cash, smile.
Yes, if you smash your car in an accident, you may be "the guilty guy". But your car is insured and your insurance (with a rental) will look for keeping the payment low. Yes, in tourism areas the locals can try to betray you for money exchange and similar. You can prepeare infront of your trip. Read the sex & crime sections of the local newspapers, have a look to expat web communities. Look at social media.
You will not need 30 min to see, that renting a jetski in puket can lead to problems and illegal payments as en example. So dont rent jetsky`s there. You read about issues with rental bikes in koh samui, where they want money to give you your passport back. It is always the key - preparation and knowledge. You can get a 2nd passport at home in front of the trip, just give away the spare without the entry stamp. Or bring your bike back with some time left - so that you can sort things relaxed.
Outside of the "mass tourism path" - everything is safe and nobody even think about bullshitting you. So what can be unsafe? Animals? They eat most of them - so it is hard (but not impossible) to find a snake, big spider or something bigger at least in asia.
Be careful, be prepared and absolutely nothing speaks against a ground tent in that travel destinations. For showers ask at a guesthouse or hotel, for your business using a spade - is at least abroad a way to go. But yes, the blog article about
portable foldable toilets are higly visited, if you know what I mean.
trippin
