The northwest corner of nowhere
It would be nice if we could give the whole world a shot that was 100% effective.
I think that soon when a high percentage of the population has been vaccinated, we can all feel safer and start getting back closer to normal.
It's been a year and I've had two COVID shots, and I still don't feel completely safe.
Do you remember just about a year ago today, we were told to lockdown for two weeks to flatten the curve, and everything would be okay?
A year ago, I stayed hunkered down up in the mountains of Costa Rica and stayed away from town and crowds. In fact, I never caught the bus and went into town the whole five months I was here. I did ride into town to do grocery shopping a few times with my landlord.
The weird thing is that now, a year later, after having both COVID shots, I still don't feel completely safe catching a bus, going down the mountain into town, and eating in a restaurant. I'll probably do it before long. I think I will be a lot safer doing it now than I would have been a year ago.
Most people in Costa Rica have not received their COVID shots yet
But they are taking the pandemic seriously for the most part. Most stores (and even the farmers' market) have someone standing out front making sure that everyone who enters is wearing a mask properly and washing their hands with sanitizer before entering.
Even though I've had both shots, I still wear a mask every time I go out. I want to show everyone else that I'm trying to do my part. After all, they don't know that I've had both shots.
I've been on six different planes in the last few weeks, and I do feel safe flying.
The northwest corner of nowhere is the place to be safe
If you want to get away from everybody, going to the middle of nowhere is not the place to be. I think you'll find it crowded there. Even if half the people go there who say they want to go there, it will be crowded.
To get away from everybody, go to the northwest corner of nowhere. I haven't heard anybody say they were going there. I think if you go to the northwest corner of nowhere, you'll be all by yourself.
I feel like that's where I am now. I'm at the end of a dead-end road high in the mountains of Costa Rica, surrounded by mango trees, coffee, and bananas (and fields of sugarcane if I go down the mountain a little way).
Bottom line: I have high-speed fiber-optic Wi-Fi, so what else could I ask for? And unlike most houses and apartments in Costa Rica, I have hot water.
P.S. Even though I'm in Costa Rica for a few months, my $1,400 stimulus check showed up in my checking account earlier this week. Life is good.