Vacationing in the Time of Covid

[0] From the New York Times, I'm Michael Bobaro.

[1] This is a daily.

[2] Today.

[3] It's August, vacation season, but it's different now.

[4] We're vacationing in a kind of gray zone, a quasi -post -COVID world.

[5] We're navigating regulations and rules, but above all, our own tolerance for risk.

[6] Producer Crystal Duhame and my colleague, at the Times podcast, first person, tell the story of one man whose decision to resume his favorite form of travel was especially perilous.

[7] It's Friday, August 5th.

[8] Morning, welcome to Travel and Cruise Industry News.

[9] Coming to you from Bedford County and Central Virginia.

[10] I first came across Chile on YouTube, where almost every day he does a live stream all about cruises.

[11] Got a lot of stuff on the agenda for this morning.

[12] Cruise ship sailing today from U .S. ports.

[13] For more than a year, the cruise industry shut down because of COVID.

[14] But at the end of January, Chile was getting ready to go in his first cruise since the pandemic started.

[15] In Miami, Freedom of the Seas, who I will be on in, what's it now, 59 days or something?

[16] A few days.

[17] Hi.

[18] Come in the house.

[19] A few days before Chile was scheduled to board the Freedom of the Seas, I went to visit him.

[20] You don't have to take shoes off.

[21] This is a farm.

[22] This is my sister, Jean, by the way.

[23] Hi.

[24] He lives in Forest Virginia with his sister and her family.

[25] And if you hear the cats in the background, we have two cats running around.

[26] We call them our COVID kitties.

[27] We rescued them during the first part of the pandemic.

[28] And their names are Charmin and Cottonell.

[29] So, and then through here, just my bedroom, actually.

[30] It's also where I record all my shows.

[31] I have some lighting.

[32] I have, of course, I call it my big butt microphone.

[33] But this is where I do all my craziness from.

[34] And then, of course, I travel away from here whenever I can to go on cruises, which I'm getting ready to do.

[35] Probably need to stop.

[36] Yeah.

[37] For a second.

[38] As you could tell, I was getting a little out of breath.

[39] Aggravating part of being on oxygen.

[40] fine sitting walking standing 30 40 yards total I get out of breath and I got to give myself a little jolt and it takes you know a second or two now this was one of the four original rooms that was built in 1904 so you want me to go back to the I was born and raised in things.

[41] Yeah.

[42] Okay.

[43] Well, I was born and raised in Roanoke, Virginia.

[44] Okay, just a second.

[45] You just peeps there.

[46] I'm doing it too loud.

[47] Yeah, it's a little bit too loud.

[48] All right.

[49] Well, my real name is Charles Mason Falls, Jr. Everybody's called me chili all my life except for one teacher who refused to use nicknames.

[50] My dad was big chili.

[51] My sister decided when I was born that I was going to be little Chile, so I was little chilly as long as my father was alive.

[52] My father was a disabled veteran from World War II.

[53] He was one of the first people into France.

[54] Chili's parents weren't cruisers, but his mom did take Chile on vacations to the beach.

[55] I remember the first time we went to Virginia Beach, for instance, camping trips to Myrtle Beach, several trips in the summer up to New England.

[56] We were like friends.

[57] I mean, yes, she was my mom, and she would fuss at me for doing bad things.

[58] But because of that travel, I just loved being around the ocean.

[59] When did you realize that cruising was not only something that you liked to do, but maybe part of your identity?

[60] That's a very tough question for me. Chili went on his first cruise in 1978.

[61] A group of friends invited him and his second wife to join them on the Carnival Festival.

[62] It left from Los Angeles and went to the Mexican Riviera, which had three ports of call, Mazatlan, Khabasan Lucas, and Porto Vallarta.

[63] We were into some rough seas a couple times on that seven -day cruise, but it just didn't bother me. What was it about that first experience that you fell in love with?

[64] the entertainment, the food, the bars.

[65] I have been just about everywhere that you can go in the Caribbean, from the Bahamas to all the Mexico, East Coast ports, Panama, Colombia, Jamaica, I've been to St. Thomas, St. Kitt, St. I go to buffet breakfast, and right after breakfast, I work on my vegetable level.

[66] I go to the first bar that's open and get a Bloody Mary, which has tomatoes, and it's usually got a stalk of celery.

[67] It might have an olive.

[68] It might have a pickle.

[69] And I like to take that and go get in a hot tub.

[70] Grenada, Aruba, Bonair, Curisap.

[71] There's always a new person to meet something different on every port.

[72] Sitting in a hot tub with a priest, we talked about religion, and we talked about.

[73] about the world that walked across the bar, stark naked, sat on my bar still, and said, excuse me, bartender, may I have another bourbon and Diet Coke, please?

[74] Now, I may have had an adult beverage or two before I did that.

[75] This scrumptious pina colottas.

[76] I ended up with a hot date.

[77] She was 96 years old.

[78] Turks and Caicos, Trinidad, Canada.

[79] Back in those days, it was just going, you'd party, and you'd come home with a seven -day hang, over and not even think about it.

[80] I'm much better behave now.

[81] Sort of bingo and trivia contests, game shows.

[82] So there's something to do literally all the time.

[83] Art. Some people love...

[84] Just sweet us, we'll wait.

[85] The cat.

[86] Charmin, that's enough, dude.

[87] Pain in the...

[88] Art galleries.

[89] There's an art gallery.

[90] gallery on almost every ship.

[91] They have fabulous art on some ships.

[92] The new Rotterdam from Southern America.

[93] Can you tell me the last cruise that you were on?

[94] My last cruising was side to sides.

[95] I was on the Zider Dam and then the Carnival Sunrise.

[96] I got home on the 2nd of March and then everything shut down in the cruise industry because of the pandemic.

[97] When cruising shut down, Chili's world got really small.

[98] He spent months at home in Virginia, watching cruise after cruise get canceled.

[99] Then, in November 2020, he started feeling off.

[100] He thought he had a urinary tract infection, and he went to his doctor.

[101] His doctor decided to check for prostate cancer.

[102] He ordered a PSA test.

[103] PSA readings over 10.

[104] often mean there's trouble.

[105] My first PSA test was 484.

[106] Yes, in fact, I had prostate cancer.

[107] Mine had spread throughout my entire body.

[108] It was in some 60 different places, including my lungs.

[109] Because I was a smoker for 56 years, they wanted to do a test to make sure I didn't have lung cancer.

[110] In fact, I had prostate cancer in the lungs.

[111] Chili started chemo.

[112] Within a few months, he was also put on oxygen and had to go to respiratory therapy three times a week.

[113] I will never be cancer -free, but it's under control because of the chemo that should, hopefully, keep everything in balance and the PSA doesn't go up.

[114] If I didn't have a future ahead where I could get back on my boats, I could get back at sea, I'm not sure how I would handle it.

[115] Happiest on a boat, on the water.

[116] We'll be right back.

[117] Packing is something that I'm terrible at.

[118] I do it last minute, so I end up missing things, but basically I start thinking about what I have from the skin out.

[119] So the first thing I do is grab underwear.

[120] The second thing I grab is socks, pants slash shorts, t -shirts.

[121] They usually have one and sometimes two fancy dinners where everybody on the ship will dress up a little bit.

[122] I got a new sport coat.

[123] That reminds me I never got the shirt.

[124] but yes I ordered a new sport coat because it's been years since I had a new one so I called my friendly tailor I went in to get measured because I had no idea of what I would wear my body has changed a lot this past two years so it's over here in the closet which is a disaster waiting to happen it's a navy blue sport coat with a little hanky in the pocket.

[125] Can you call Jimmy at his store and see if my shirt ever came in and if it did pick it up.

[126] Two, three, four, five.

[127] To get ready for cruising, Chili had been working on strengthening his lungs.

[128] Seven.

[129] Normally, he would have gone to respiratory therapy at the hospital.

[130] But there was a surge COVID cases.

[131] So Chilli decided to do some of his exercises at home.

[132] I'll switch legs and leave with the other leg.

[133] One, two, three.

[134] I'm going to lose my breath.

[135] I think a lot of people would think, oh, Chilly, you're probably the last person who should be traveling during a respiratory pandemic given your needs for oxygen.

[136] and your difficulties, do you have any doubts at all about going onto a cruise ship in a few days?

[137] None.

[138] I believe, just as much as I believe, my name is Chili Falls, that I will get on a cruise ship and be safer there than I am to go nine -tenths of a mile from my house to Kroger's to the grocery store.

[139] I'm curious, what does your oncologist?

[140] say.

[141] My oncologist, knowing my love of cruising, was all in favor of me going on cruises.

[142] My urologist, knowing my love of cruises, said, I have no problem with you going on a cruise.

[143] My pulmonologist and my pulmonary therapists have no problem with me going on cruising.

[144] They look at it and realize how important it is to my mental health.

[145] when I can do what I love the most.

[146] I don't want to exist.

[147] I don't want to live like I've lived a good bit of the last year.

[148] How do you think about that tension between just existing and actually living?

[149] Over the past year, existing, Got a race from my knowledge book because I couldn't do things that I did for myself.

[150] I couldn't go out to eat on my own.

[151] It was awful to me. It was awful to the people I'm around.

[152] I had issues where, especially dealing with the catheter, which there were accidents.

[153] I couldn't clean it up because I couldn't take care of myself.

[154] I had to ask, you know, my sister, my brother -in -law, my niece to do things that a grown man just doesn't want to do.

[155] At least I didn't.

[156] I couldn't even remember how to use my phone because my mind was so muddled from the chemo.

[157] You know, the best part of a year was spent in there in my chair with the television on, even though I couldn't figure out how to change.

[158] channels until I could get to the point that I could come out to the dining room table and sit and have meals.

[159] So existing is not something I want.

[160] I want to live.

[161] Let's get started.

[162] To begin the testing process, go to e -med's website and click start testing.

[163] I am nervous.

[164] Wow.

[165] Just, ah.

[166] Obviously, if I test positive, that's the end of the ballgame for these cruises.

[167] Even though Chile was fully vaccinated and boosted, he also had to show proof of a negative COVID test taken within two days of getting on the cruise.

[168] The test had to be verified in real time and on camera.

[169] We'll be here.

[170] All righty, thank you.

[171] Oh, hey, ve.

[172] I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to see, whether it's a faint line or a, oh, positive is no line.

[173] Negative is a line.

[174] No, positives two lines.

[175] Oh, positive is two lines.

[176] We're down to nine minutes now, and I have nothing happening.

[177] I just have the control line and nothing below that.

[178] So I'm feeling a little bit better.

[179] six minutes and 35 seconds still the news is good we're down to five and a half minutes nothing just the one line it's looking really good it's looking really good folks there's nothing four minutes and 50 second clock is ticking we're inside of two minutes now is that a second line there don't you tell me that no it's not a second line a minute to go the way ring a bell do I have a Bell?

[180] 40 seconds.

[181] 26.

[182] I feel like the guy.

[183] NASA.

[184] T -minus.

[185] 15.

[186] Put me in a rocket and send me to Miami.

[187] Five, four, three, two, one.

[188] It's time.

[189] Tomer is finished.

[190] I'm ready.

[191] Ah.

[192] Hello.

[193] Yes, I can hear you.

[194] I see one pink line and nothing else.

[195] Thank you.

[196] I'm going cruising.

[197] cruising for a bruising long as doesn't snow on Sunday night into Monday morning would be the next possible issue On January 24th I met Chile aboard the Freedom of the Seas in the evening he parked his rented scooter outside my cabin and joined me on the balcony the waves were calm and the lights of Miami were getting smaller and smaller, as the ship sailed out to sea.

[198] How was dinner?

[199] Good, very good.

[200] What did you have to eat?

[201] I had a shrimp cocktail, a Caesar salad, prime rib, and a keelan pie for dessert.

[202] It was very good.

[203] It was getting dark out, and chili was clearly exhausted.

[204] I could go lay down and fall sound asleep because that's how relaxed I am right now.

[205] I don't worry too much anymore about where the ships go.

[206] Just being on the ship, and out here somewhere.

[207] And it doesn't matter me where it goes.

[208] This is it.

[209] Two long years.

[210] Yeah, it's been a rough two years for me. Over the next four days, the ship sailed to the Bahamas and back.

[211] Chili went to bed at eight most nights.

[212] He didn't go to a single show.

[213] He didn't do the hot tubs.

[214] And the meetups chili had planned to attend just didn't happen.

[215] The ship was probably half empty.

[216] And because of pandemic protocols, they didn't sit chili next to anyone but me at dinner, which was the only thing he did most nights.

[217] besides film stuff for his YouTube channel.

[218] Hello.

[219] Ah, you're wearing your suit for the first time.

[220] You managed to get the shirt, too.

[221] But he did put on his new suit with the hanky in the pocket.

[222] A bloody merry tonight.

[223] And he did have a cocktail or two.

[224] He went to a sushi and sake pairing.

[225] I'm feeling that sushi here is going to be somewhat different than sushi from Lynchburg.

[226] And had a scooter race with a fellow past It was a tie.

[227] You've got to be from Massachusetts.

[228] What gave it away?

[229] Oh, no doubt about it.

[230] Good evening, Madame Christod.

[231] I'm so Chilly.

[232] A nice to see him.

[233] Chilly wasn't the same person he was two years ago, but he was cruising again.

[234] Good evening and welcome to Chile Falls, La from the Freedom of the Seas, the last night here on board, Freedom of the Seas.

[235] Yes, I decided, folks, despite the, my threat.

[236] A few days after the Freedom of the Seas got back into Miami, Chile got on the MSC seashore.

[237] And then shortly after that, the Divina.

[238] And then the Meravilia.

[239] He has a total of 16 cruises planned for 2022.

[240] Today's episode was produced by our colleagues at first person, a Times podcast that explores the personal stories behind people's beliefs, to hear other episodes of first person, search for it wherever you listen.

[241] We'll be right back.

[242] Here's what else you need to another day.

[243] On Thursday, the U .S. Secretary of Health and Human Services declared the outbreak of monkey pox, a public health emergency, a designation designed to both raise public awareness and give the federal government greater resources to fight the virus.

[244] So we're prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus, and we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously and to take responsibility to help us tackle this virus.

[245] So far, the United States has recorded nearly 7 ,000 cases of the virus.

[246] And...

[247] I made an honest mistake, and I hope that in your ruling, that it doesn't end my life here.

[248] Despite her pleas for leniency, a Russian court has sentenced the American basketball star, Brittany Griner, to nine years in a penal colony, after she was found guilty of bringing illegal drugs into the country.

[249] I understand everything that's being said against me, the charges that are against me, and that is why I played guilty.

[250] But I had no intent to break any Russian law.

[251] But it's unclear how much of that sentence Griner will serve.

[252] The United States has asked for the release of both Griner and another American being detained in Russia, Paul Whelan, in return for the release of a Russian arms dealer being held in the U .S. Finally, federal officials have brought charges against four current and former Kentucky police officers involved in the raid that killed Brianna Taylor, a 26 -year -old black woman who was shot in her apartment in 2020.

[253] The officers are charged with several crimes, including lying to obtain a warrant that was used to search Taylor's home.

[254] Today's episode was produced by Crystal Duham and was edited by Stephanie Joyce, with help from Larissa Anderson, Lisa Tulles, Kari Pitkin and Anita Badajo.

[255] It was fact -checked by Mary Marge Locker.

[256] Contains original music by Isaac Jones and Carol Sabarad and was engineered by Isaac Jones, Chris Wood, and Corey Shrepo.

[257] Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsberg of Wonderly.

[258] Special thanks to our colleagues at first person, Lulu Garcia Navarro, Courtney Stein, Christina Josa, Olivia Nat, Derek Arthur, and Jason Pagano.

[259] The Daily is made by Lisa Tobin, Rachel Quester, Lindsay Garrison, Claire Tennisgetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Larissa Anderson, Chris Wood, Jessica Chung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Lee Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Kruppke, Mark George, Luke Vanderplug, M .Javis, Lynn, Dan Powell, Dave Shaw, Sydney Harbor, Robert Jemison, Michael Benoit, Liz O 'Balen, O'Shthervedi, Rochow Banja, Diana Wyn, Marion Lazano, Corey Shrepple, Anita Badajo, Rob Zipko, Alishaba Etube, Mujsaidi, Patricia Willans, Roan Misto, Jody Becker, Ricky Nevedsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reed, Carlos Preeto, Sophia Milan, Ben Calhoun, and Susan Lee.

[260] Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Schumann, Cliff Levy, Lauren Jackson, Julia Simon, Mahima Chablani, Des Ibequa, Wendy Dorr, Elizabeth Davis Moore, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, and Maddie Masiello.

[261] And welcome to the world, Mira Ruth Barbaro, my daughter.

[262] That's it for the daily.

[263] I'm Michael Barbaro.

[264] See you on Monday.