A young woman travelling solo in Egypt was rescued from an aggressive taxi driver by two strangers who paid him off and helped her find accommodation. The incident happened when she was 25, not long after the turn of the century, during an overnight bus journey from Cairo to Dahab.
Taxi dispute in Dahab
After the bus dropped passengers in the middle of nowhere, she took a shared taxi into town at about 3am, sitting in the back of a ute tray with others. She was the only tourist and the only woman in the vehicle.
When they reached Dahab, the driver became increasingly aggressive toward her. Although she did not speak Arabic, she could tell the situation was escalating. Two Egyptian men in the back of the ute stepped in, shouting back at the driver. They relayed that the driver wanted more money. When she went to grab her wallet, they told her to put it away, paid him off themselves, and the driver left.
Help without expectation
Suddenly alone with the two men in the middle of the night, she wondered if she had entered an even more dangerous situation. But the men asked where she was staying, and when she said she had not booked accommodation, they took her to a hostel, ensured the owner charged her only the locals' rate, and then disappeared without asking anything in return.
The next day, she spent three days searching the city to find and thank them. She eventually located them working in an internet cafe. They were medical students funding their studies by installing internet across Egypt. She was a student nurse, so they had much in common.
Lasting friendship
They invited her to their home town, where she stayed for a few days and met their friends, families, and future wives. Every time she went out, they escorted her to ensure she was safe. They stayed in contact for years afterwards.
Reflecting on the experience, she noted that while travelling alone as a young woman often leads to encountering the worst people, these men were not motivated by anything selfish. She believes they would have done the same for anyone, simply because it was the right thing to do. They started as strangers, but she now regards them as two of the best people she has ever met.
