Travel in the pandemic age

COVID-19 Pandemic

We did it. We finally left our home zone. Sure, we had been going to the grocery stores, and shopping for other essential items that we needed over the last several months, while wearing masks of course. And sure, back in May, we slowly started to host/participate in cocktail hour(s) with our close friends, but only when we could be outdoors. However, we had not been dining inside any restaurants, and had not been inside other's houses, except to briefly use the washroom.

So it was not without some trepidation, that we decided to venture outside our bubble. She was getting cabin fever pretty bad, and even with the recent surge of cases in Kelowna, we desperately needed a break from what I call Groundhog Day. We had planned an out-and-back route that would take us through areas we'd travelled past before, but never stopped to check out anything along the way.

The first stop was an easy one - my parent's place in Kamloops. Since we had been following COVID-19 safety protocols pretty well, we did not feel too concerned visiting my elderly parents. Even still, there was no hugging, and we avoided close proximity contact. With the warm summer weather upon us, we ended up spending most of the time outside anyways; there was some significant pool cleaning required!

After a couple of nights there, we started the real portion of our road trip. We slowly headed to Revelstoke, stopping at a few touristy things along the way. We paused in Salmon Arm for a brief walk along the lakeside pier, and to grab lunch - our first time sitting inside a restaurant in almost 6 months! With only a handful of patrons, and very noticeable safety protocols being observed, we did not feel at risk. The sign-in sheet for contact tracing seemed voluntary, as no one appeared to care if we fill it in or not. COVID score: 4/5.

A surprising highlight just before Revelstoke, was the 3 Valley Gap Heritage Ghost Town. We really only stopped here to stretch our legs, and delay our arrival a bit into our hotel before the 3 pm check-in time. But for a paltry $14, the historic site was really quite interesting. Sure, it needs a little bit of maintenance, but it was pretty cool, the way they had transported the buildings to this site, and filled them with historically correct furniture and artifacts. The Roundhouse was probably the most impressive building, being the largest indoor rail turntable in North America. It had actual rolling stock in there that you could walk through and imagine what train travel was like when travelling across Canada. With all of the attractions being outdoors or limited access to only one family group at a time, I give it a COVID score of 5/5.

Only a 1/2 hour's drive from there, we rolled into Revelstoke. I had picked a small hotel on the edge of town based on Tripadvisor reviews, and it was clean and comfortable. With what seemed like less than 30% of the rooms occupied, we did not feel that there was much risk of encountering COVID from other guests. The included buffet breakfast was now being served by a pleasant, older woman, but she was not wearing a mask, and did not hesitate to encroach on our 2m space. For that reason, I'd only give this hotel experience a 3.5/5 for COVID safety.

That evening, we went to a very popular restaurant/pub in town that had what we figured was a good, socially distanced, outdoor patio. As such, there was a considerable line-up to get in, but each group spaced out nicely on the sidewalk. There wasn't any contact tracing sign-in at the hostess desk and the hostess herself was not wearing a mask, but each table was diligently sanitized after each set of patrons vacated it. Servers were wearing masks, and individual water containers were delivered to each table. No menus were handed out; instead, we were asked to use our mobile phones to see what we wanted to eat. COVID score: 3.5/5.

The highlight of our road trip, was the Meadows in the Sky Parkway, in Mount Revelstoke National Park, where you get to drive almost all the way to the top. A short hike later, you are at the summit, and can take a few loop paths that present you with panoramic views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains. Obviously, being an outdoor activity, and with very few hikers on the trails, COVID score maxed out at 5/5.

On our second evening in town, our second restaurant choice had an option to book a reservation, so we simply walked up, and were immediately presented with an outdoor picnic table, spaced appropriately from the other diners. All staff were wearing masks, and we were politely asked for a name and contact information for tracing purposes. COVID score: 5/5.

Making our way back, we stopped a few times on the way to Kelowna, our overnight stop. We were amazed and disconcerted by the number of Alberta license plates we saw everywhere! While there are no rules against Albertans coming into BC for non-essential travel, it is generally frowned upon. Given the difference in COVID containment in AB versus BC, most of us feel that they should really be staying in their own province until they can control it more effectively. As such, I'm giving the region in general a COVID score of 2.5/5.

In Kelowna, we arrived at our motel and checked in for our brief stay. To our surprise, we were asked if we wanted to use the pool, and what timeslot we would like. They were limiting the number of guests who were allowed in the pool area; it didn't really matter however, as the water was so warm that it was akin to taking a bath, so crowds were not an issue. Instead of a buffet breakfast, we were told that a continental breakfast would be delivered to our door, and they asked us what time we would like it to arrive. We were asked to check out by dialling a code on the phone, and to simply leave our keys on the desk inside. COVID score: 5/5.

With the rash of cases that have come out of Kelowna, we knew in advance that we would not be strolling around the downtown or waterfront areas, so our last stop on our trip was a brief visit with friends who had recently moved to Kelowna. After enjoying some socially distanced cocktails and charcuterie, we drove to the nearby golf club for dinner on the outdoor patio. With a reservation in hand, we were escorted by our table, which was nicely spaced from the adjacent tables. All staff were wearing masks, and protocols were being followed. COVID score: 5/5.

As an observation, it seemed that when we went to places that have had very few or no cases of COVID-19, the locals were much more complacent than people we know in Vancouver. But we did not feel that were at risk during any point during our trip - I guess because we chose activities that would not put us in situations where we would be in close proximity to others that were not in our social bubble. That said, given the high number of Albertans travelling to to South Central BC right now, and the somewhat lax attitudes around COVID in the Okanagan Valley, I think we'll be giving that entire area a pass for the time being.

Safe travels everyone!

Back to work!

COVID-19 Pandemic

Yesterday was a milestone day for me - I went back to "work". Yep, Hollywood North is back open, and a handful of productions that have Canadian cast and crew have started back up. It's not the same as it was when it shut down in early March, but it was good to be back on location.

Stock photo

The first thing that was different, was a check-in station that everyone goes through upon their arrival at circus. Each person has their temperature checked, questionnaires are filled out by the crew members and PPE was handed out. A COVID-19 safety talk laid out the procedures for the day - essentially social distancing to be maintained wherever possible, and masks must be worn everywhere until final picture.

When it came time for the wardrobe check, each person waited, spaced 2m apart, and then presented their options to the costumer, who sat behind a table, 2m away. Emphasis was placed on using the performer's own clothing, except for specifics, like waiters and doormen, in this case. After approval, each person wiped the table with a disinfecting wipe. There was no hair and makeup for the Background performers (BG); we were instructed to arrive camera-ready. Shuttles were loaded only to about 50% capacity, so no one was sitting shoulder-to-shoulder for the ride to the set location.

The next big difference, was getting breakfast at the food truck. Instead of a table full of chafing dishes laid out with all the options, you ordered it off the truck; even the "Fast Track" was served by the catering team. Another table with a glass partition was set up for the extras, like fruit, yoghurt, beverages, condiments and utensils, all of which was handed out by the catering crew. Craft services was set up so that all of the food items were individually packaged, so there were no tongs to pass potentially pass on the virus. Lunch service was pretty much the same procedure as breakfast - beer-battered fish and chips... yummy!

Luckily, our holding area was in a big, spacious hotel conference room, and so it was very easy to spread out, even though everyone was still wearing their masks. It was a somewhat small BG group of 23, which I imagine will be the shape of things to come. When it was time to go to set, all of the BG kept their masks on, right through rehearsals. The crew wore their masks 100% of the time, and the only ones not wearing masks, were the actual cast, who I noticed never wore them for the duration of the shoot day. Often, you'd have to remind the BG, "hey, you're still wearing your mask", as we were about to shoot.

I had read in the news that they were trying to limit the number of crew members on set, but I did not notice much difference. There was still lots of action in and around Video Village, and crew members moved about normally. There were stands with hand sanitizer close by, as well disinfectant spray or wipes, and masks for those that misplaced theirs. With BC continuing to hold the line on COVID-19 transmissions, it looks like good news for the industry, and I hope that we continue to manage well during the pandemic, so we can all keep British Columbia's TV & Film business going.