Planning and letting go in St. Emilion

**note I had to post 2 posts at once so go the one before and catch up***

So today Mr. Lush and I were discussing if we know of anyone else who would take this particular type of trip....the kicker is what was going on at the time of said conversation....

We were at the Saint Emilion train station, waiting for a taxi that might arrive/might not, depending on if he checked his email that day, while having another number as a backup. So basically, we were in town, but didn't know if we had a ride or exactly when we should give up on the ride, so we were hanging out at the train station letting time pass. The weather was beautiful and we decided to give our maybe taxi driver about 10 more minutes. During said wait, we started talking about who would take such a trip, with the combination of planning and yet okay with the unexpected....you have to do a lot of research to do the public transportation route, but really, public transportation and all the stuff that goes with is (as evidenced in previous posts) a bear and doesn't go as expected. As much as I like to pretend, I'm not really "totally okay" with the unexpected.....today we had an appointment at Chateau Pape Clement - their directions were poor, we got lost, missed our tour, and weren't given another one. I was devatstated.... feeling I had messed things up royally and had failed us. Mr. Lush, being the kind considerate man he is, assured me that I didn't mess anything up and it was the Chateau's fault for giving bad directions and HE didn't consider the day wasted at all.

Ah-yes, he is wonderful, isn't he???

I digress....after we chatted about this, I noticed a call. Low and behold, it was our B&B- Chateau Monlot. I called them back and was quickly transferred to someone who spoke ***PERFECT*** English. Oh, I was excited right off the bat, but even more excited when he (Philip) said he could come pick us up. (woo hoo saved money) I told him we are the only people sitting in the parking lot with luggage so we should be easy to find - he arrived within 10 minutes and we were at the Chateau within 15. It was great!!!

Evidently, Philip is from North Carolina and is here studying wine....and happens to be doing an internship at Chateau Monlot. Not only did he pick us up, he made us dinner, shared with us some wine - including some rose that couldn't be labeled because you can't make St. Emilion Rose- and has offered to take us on a few trips here and there if needed. He is great- absolutely great- and we really lucked out in the fact he is here, as we enjoy his company AND appreciate his knowledge! We suggested we should give him some money for eating all his food, drinking all his wine, but he said it "would be an insult".

So my question to you - what should we give Phillip? Bottle of wine- or would that be odd since he's here? Ignore what he says and slip him some money when we leave? Ask him to accompany us to dinner and buy his dinner?

And....would YOU be up for a trip that required planning, yet an acceptance of the spontaneous factor?

*heck, I'm don't know if I'm up for it...but we're here so I'm making it work!!!*