I've lived in many different countries where I worked as an installation engineer, building radio stations and studios. In the main these were places that no sensible person would want to set foot in.
While cats are supposed to have 9 lives, I think humans must (usually) have many more, judging by the many narrow squeaks I've been in.
I've driven into a class 4 tornado in Texas, and got out of my car in the eye, looked up and seen blue sky, and was narrowly missed by a flying cow; been in an earthquake; been kidnapped by armed robbers; had malaria; gone fishing in a leaky rubber boat and narrowly missed becoming a meal for sharks ... you get the picture.
All this makes interesting background for a writer who just loves to create adventure stories and exotic fiction. So there you have it.