September 19, 2021:

Returning with a walletful of platinum cards. Now we can get from one side of the country to the other in half a day in a rented Fiat. Then it took most of a week, in trains and buses and, sometimes, walking.

Although it's the same time of year we're now never cold. There's no need to negotiate over heat. It's built-in to the platinum card price. No haggling, no worries, no chattering teeth.

My friend is lovely. She's loyal, and fun, and she loves me. Nowadays I even love the food. It's my favorite cuisine of any in the world.