[ftrflyr]

I have spent the past 10 years doing this with Engineers Without Borders and conducting independent research. My experience is similar to yours but I didn't buy a vehicle - I used busses and trains.

My research in Africa was around Energy and the many forms it presents itself. I only encountered a handful of negative experiences:

[1] Getting jailed at the border in Mozambique for refusing to pay a bribe.

[2] Nearly getting kidnapped in Musoma, Tanzania by the biggest Tanzania I have ever seen in my life. He proceeded to grab my arm and pull be down and ally proclaiming I was to come with him and play the drums.

[3] In Nairobi during one of the worst storms in the past 25 years.

I just spent that past 11 months backpacking South America. This time, my research was focused on Drones and Last Mile Distribution.