Mahmoud and I became great friends during my last trip to Amman. He took me around his country and guided me with a lot of history and geography lessons.

“You have to promise to come back and bring your family back next time!”, were his parting words when we bid good bye last time.
“I definitely will”, I had promised him.
“You will meet my family and have dinner with us”, he had graciously invited.
“Indeed!!”

After that we have kept up on Whatsapp and occasional phone calls.

He was the first person there at the airport waiting for us when we finally came out of the customs area.

He was clearly overjoyed to see us!

He pronounces my name the Arabic way – almost like “Rajab”. He explained to Sharmila the good times we had last time when we went around in our adventures.

“Rajab is not my friend. He is my brother,” he explained to her.

“My family has been talking about you for the last whole week. They have been waiting eagerly! You have to have dinner with us tomorrow.”

“We will do so!”, I assured him as we sped away in the dark from the airport for our over an hour ride to the Dead Sea.

Always very reassuring to get a great welcome in a foreign country!