Coronavirus When Can We Travel?

"Americans may be able to take summer vacations, Fauci says," according to CNN 4/9/20.

 

This headline brought a smile to my face when I looked at my phone this morning.

 

Apart from being safe at home, one of my big concerns about the coronavirus is if I will have to or even be able to cancel a trip I have booked this summer. And the most important question, "Will it be safe?"

 

The trip is to complete the Camino de Santiago. Unfortunately, that destination is in Spain, one of the most adversely affected coronavirus hotspots in the world.

 

I have been reading Spain news daily everyday to see how the country's coronavirus rates have changed. Today, Fox News said Spain could be seeing the start of a coronavirus decline. That's good news.

 

Especially since, as of today, airlines are only allowing you to cancel or change your flights without a fee for trips that commence before May 31, 2020. 

 

What happens if travel bans are lifted at the end of May? Would you feel safe enough to travel in June?

 

What if you can only cancel with a fee?

 

Perhaps there may be more travel restrictions put in place as Dr. Fauci suggests: taking temperature readings at airports, wearing masks on planes, continued social distancing, and no handshaking.

 

As of today, if travel bans are lifted I am going. I will mind any restrictions and recommendations by government and travel agencies.

 

I feel that you have to maintain your goals for as long as you can. It gives you something to strive for, a sense of purpose during these murky days. To prepare for the Camino de Santiago, I workout daily in my living room thanks to all the free online content - thanks Barry's and Nike Training Club! I also walk daily practicing social distancing and wearing a mask.

 

I hope that Dr. Fauci's hopeful words come to pass and that we can all take vacations this summer safely.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Posts: Monday, Thursday, and Saturday

Staying Active During Coronavirus

Gym closed!

How are people going to stay healthy?

www.everybodylosangeles.com

The gym closure was huge for me. My goal this year was to decrease my waist size by 2 inches: 36 to 34. It may not seem like much, but it had been at least a decade since I was that slim. Also, cosmetic and health benefits aside, many roles for male background actors often wanted men with a 34-inch waist or smaller.

Over the course of the last two and half months of regular gym workouts and watching my caloric intake, I dropped 15 pounds and at my last fitting measured 35 inches.

El Molino Viejo, San Marino

But now the gyms are closed now. What to do?

Here are the three things I have done to keep the body moving:

First, I walk at least one hour every day. As the Los Angeles mayor said, the new stay-at-home rules still allow you to go outside on walks and take hikes. My wife and I have discovered new stores, interesting homes, and historical points of interests throughout our neighborhood.

Gymenist, photo Amazon.com

Second, I created a mini home gym for $100. I already had a yoga mat, but needed a workout bench and weights. In my case, I needed lightweights due to a repetitive stress disorder in my hands. I found this colorful set on Amazon ($28) from BalanceFrom. Also living in an apartment, I needed a workout bench that I could fold up and move out of the way when I was done. I ordered the Gymenist on Amazon ($90). I find the construction to be sturdy and the cushions comfortable.

Finally, I learned that my YMCA was conducting live-streaming, instructor-led classes through Facebook. When I told my mother, she said the Silver Sneakers Program for seniors was doing the same thing. Looking on YouTube, I found a slew of exercise videos. My wife and I pushed our couch back, laid out our yoga mats, logged onto Facebook and followed our favorite instructor through a sweat-inspiring workout.

I hope that my experiences provide you with some ideas on how to stay active and healthy during this coronavirus period. My new goal is to reach a 34-inch waist by the time production starts in the next few weeks or heaven forbid, months.

If you have any additional tips on staying healthy please comment.

Take care and be safe.

Posting schedule: Monday, Thursday, Saturday