In January, when I decided to dip a toe back into the water of international travel, Costa Rica seemed an obvious destination. The entry requirements were not onerous ­— I had merely to buy extra insurance to cover any pandemic-related medical bills and accommodation costs in the event of being obliged to quarantine — and the country’s tropical climate and small ecolodges would, I reasoned, make it possible for me to spend most of my time outdoors. Like everywhere else, Costa Rica has been affected by COVID-19, but the vast majority of cases have been recorded in the populous areas of the Central Valley, including the capital city, San José. If I headed for the hills, the jungle and the beach, and took sensible precautions, it seemed that the risks would be manageable.