My host, Alaa, tried to convince me that it would be fun and invigorating to walk to various sights on the West Bank. At 10am, the heat was already soaring, I'd seen the map with notes like "8km to this temple" and "4km to this other temple," and I knew I couldn't handle it.

Still, I adopted the stance that I was actually going to go through with it to increase my bargaining position. The touts were in top form, yelling in my face, coming at every angle, and some even daring to grab my arms and pull me toward their cars. It was a frustrating and ugly experience, and my bargaining developed an angry tone. One tout shoved a card for Mahmoud Mofareg in my hand. Unbeknownst to me, as I began to show bitterness toward the touts, Mahmoud tried to get his card back. Eventually, Mahmoud's tout agreed to the bargain price of 25EP ($4.50 ) for three sites of my choosing on the West Bank.

The Colossi of Memnon, welcoming visitors to the West Bank

Still a little pissy, I climbed in the backseat and was not in the mood for chattiness. I even told Mahmoud airily that if I decided I wanted to visit a fourth site, there would be no additional payment. But Mahmoud, with his big smile and his constant reassurances that he only wanted me to enjoy my time, wore down my resistance. Every time I got back in the car, he'd cheerfully ask, "Happy?" Soon I was very happy indeed.

After checking with a traveling couple I met in line for tickets, I learned the fee Mahmoud accepted was very low—they were going around for 85EP. In high season, Mahmoud probably wouldn't go lower than 100EP with good bargaining. But he wanted to make me happy, and as he kept saying, the money wasn't important to him.

At this point, I wasn't positive Mahmoud wouldn't still try to get a commission off me somehow. But the second time he asked me if I would like to visit an alabaster factory ("very traditional in Luxor, very interesting") and the second time I refused, he said "no problem." That was it. No "are you sure?" No "just look, free to look." He said "no problem." So when he invited me to meet his family instead, I was thrilled to accept.

In Barrat village, I climbed up to his spare apartment, populated by four daughters, one son, two small cats, and his sweet, smiling wife. They lived in a cramped space with a single squat toilet, but of course, had satellite TV so Mahmoud could catch football games around the globe. Mahmoud was the only English-speaker, and we were already having language difficulties. All part of the adventure! He invited me to smoke shisha, and his son, the youngest of the family, was in charge of keeping the tobacco refilled and running out to buy me bottled water. Children are very useful.

The oldest daughter, 18 years old, was shy and uninterested in meeting a foreigner. The other children gathered around in the living room to watch me smoke, attempt to understand my English, and offer sweet, happy smiles. After a long time of smoking, Mahmoud asked if I was hungry. The truth was I was very hungry, but hadn't wanted to impose. I politely said no, but after he asked repeatedly, I admitted I did want to eat.

So glad that I did! Mahmoud's wife made the best meal I'd had in Egypt so far. She made a deliciously-spiced tomato-onion sauce for dipping bread, egg scrambled in lethal amounts of butter, fresh salad, home-baked bread, and mounds of rice. It was absolutely wonderful, and so much food just for Mahmoud and me. The rest of the family served us graciously, then returned to watching and giggling. Eventually all of the children retreated to the main bedroom where Mahmoud's wife was watching TV. We continued chatting, smoking shisha, and feeding egg to the cats.

The day I met Mahmoud was also the day I was returning to Cairo. Sadly, I told him it was time to leave so I could pack my bags and get to my train. He made me promise to call him if I ever returned to Luxor and assured me that we are now friends. The children begged me to stay and watch TV. I wish I could have, but I'd already been there 4 hours!

He drove me back to the ferry (I gave him a generous tip for the amazing day, despite his protests) and rode back to the East Bank with me. While we walked together down the Corniche to the turnoff to Alaa's place, Mahmoud shooed away touts—who would ask him in Arabic if he'd move aside so they could talk to me.

I am so glad I came around that day after my annoyance with the taxi touts in the morning. The West Bank was a wonderful historical site, but it had nothing on the experience of meeting Mahmoud and his family. After only a week in Egypt, I was starting to get fed up with people and was so pleased to have concrete evidence that at heart, Egyptians are warm, kind, and hospitable and do not all think of tourists as walking ATMs. It was an experience I'll never forget.

View of the mountains from Mahmoud's car

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