My first real smoking challenge was on a used offset smoker with 2 Thanksgiving Turkeys for what turned out to be 30 people attending our little St. Augustine Beach holiday.
Since then, I've discovered that with nothing more than a roll of aluminum foil, any grill can be converted into a make shift smoker ...gas, charcoal, electric, solar, doesn't matter.
Actually solar is a lie.
I've never met a solar grill - but if I did, it'd be a smoker too.
Smoke Travels
On the Big Island in Hawaii I cooked almost daily over a firepit, until my host took pity on me and bought a proper grill. She and her 80 year old Japanese maintenance guy even made a nice 10 x 20 ft covered picnic area to go with it.
They planned to make the pavillion before the grill came into it but together it became a legit outdoor cooking area.
For a couple of years just prior to volcano jungle life, I had a pretty much smokeless Honolulu / Wakiki existence.
Honolulu is surprisingly difficult to cook out unless you go to Magic Island. If you're lucky your condo might have a community grill or two. Same with Wakiki but you're still subject to high wind warnings that are more of a constant than exception.
I did buy a Wal-Mart portable table top grill, a nice rolling cooler and cool grilling tools but never made the trek to Magic Island for the weekend family BBQ fest.
Oddly enough, Austin Texas was the same way.
The apartments had designated grilling areas, by the pool or something but not on the unit porches. Also due to fire hazard rules I guess.
At one point I felt so smoke deprived that I aluminum tented a grill at my favorite outdoor get-a-way Mueller Park to get the smoking bug outta me.
My first smoked Texas Wagyu chuck roast did the trick - which honestly could have been grilled like a steak.
Winter Grillin' & Chillin'
On my first winter sabatical in Misquamicut beach, Rhode Island I naturally converted my host gas grill into a ribs smoker.
Holding temp in New England wind and cold was so challenging that the following winter I had a Chargrill stacked smoker delivered so I could more reliably cook ribs for my host's family and friends.
There's rarely been a place I've traveled or lived where I didn't have some kind of way to smoke or grill meats.
btw - I typically travel with a meat themometer and tongs in my carry on.
...and ya, they did come in handy ...once. 😂