It’s Friday afternoon, and thoughts have gone to fantasy honeymoon plans.

This week Calah and I started watching The Amazing Race together. We began with the first episode of Season 2. I had traveled the world alone for Season 1.

The world looks so weird in that show.

I know that part of it is that it’s filmed for broadcast in standard definition, and another part is how low-tech everything was compared to today.

But mainly it’s the who thing about going to airports and to places that are, you know, not within walking distance.

People are packed in close to one another. What are masks?

Season 2 also was filmed shortly after 9/11, and one non-New Yorker wears an FDNY beanie.

And then we got to an episode where they are in Thailand and have to go into a cave with bats. They’re provided masks and boots so they can keep safe.

Calah and I recognized the N95 masks immediately, and Calah lamented, “There was endless supply of N95 masks then!”

We’re hoping to be able to go to Islay together. I went there right after our first date, and when I talked about her to the bartender at the Laphroaig distillery, the dude looked at me and asked me what I was doing there? Like why wasn’t I already back in LA?

I did luck out that she didn’t forget about me by the time I got back weeks later. It might have had something to do with asking her before my trip if she wanted to go to the Magic Castle for our second date. Hard to believe that that’s coming up on two years ago.