We’ve been in Costa Rica for almost 2 months and this is my first real post.   You may be asking “Why has it taken so long?  Has actual, ‘real’ surfing taken over?”.

The answer: burglary took over.  My frame of reference after 12 years of London suburban apartment living was one in which:

(a) people do not break into your house while you’re still in there sleeping

(b) you can leave your cool electronic stuff charging in full view of windows

(c) burglar alarms are complicated, and not worth switching on.

Some things I forgot about:

1) I live in a developing country where incomes are not so great to start with.  They’re even worse now that American and Canadian tourism to the country is down by almost 10%.  And it’s the off-season.

2) Sliding doors and windows can look pretty solid but that doesn’t mean they are (solid).

3) Costa Rican burglars are like MacGyver

Over the next few days, I’ll explain how they:

• Used a stair bannister rail as a crowbar
• Used a Weber Genesis barbecue bun grill as a security bar removal tool
• Set up a two-man sentry outside my house sitting in my own chairs
• Were not interested in passports or identity theft, just “stuff”
• Took my milk (I actually gained an appreciation for black coffee the following morning)
• Took two icy Cokes (bottled, with bottlecaps!) when they got thirsty

I’ll also talk about some ideas I have for ADT and other security companies for recent crime victims’ marginal extreme propensity to consume and secure.

I’m back!  Let’s talk tomorrow.