There's a version of a Costa Rica trip that people describe as stressful and rushed, where they saw a lot but felt very little of it. And there's another version where the howler monkeys woke them up at dawn, the afternoon rain came through while they were already settled somewhere beautiful, and they flew home thinking about when they could come back. The difference usually isn't the destination. It's a handful of planning decisions made before anyone booked a flight. I grew
