Cambridge Coincidences Collection

This happened 30 years ago. My sister and I were travelling back from France on the boat train during our summer holidays. We shared a carriage, on the train, with a young couple. We chatted. When I returned to college, in the September, the woman was not only at the same college as me but was in the same halls as I had been previously and in my old room! I did talk to her about it but she didn't remember my sister or I. When we talked about meeting on the train, this is when I realised she was in my old room.We had not talked about college or Sheffield where we were at college.

I was visiting South Africa and took an excursion to Cape Point which included a boat trip to Seal Island. On the boat I was standing and seated in front of me was an American Lady of advanced years holding a young dark haired boy of about 2 years. The woman seated beside her commented what a lovely grandson. The American woman explained that she lIved in Brasilia and had adopted the child. I intervened in their conversation and said I have friends in Brasilia who have also adopted a child, their names are Ciro......she said not Ciro and Nicky A. They are my best friends!

My son was travelling round the world in 2006 and one day rang me up from a hostel in New Zealand. After 20 minutes or so of conversation I casually picked up a book from a bookshelf and at the same time thought I would ask if he had had a chance to read anything on his travels. He replied that he had been at the hostel for a few days and had been reading a certain book from their stock of books. It was exactly the same book that I had casually selected from my bookshelf!

I remember watching the TV series "On the buses" as a kid with my dad, we loved it. For some reason on 16th Nov 2008, I recalled this memory and pondered about Reg Varney and wondered what had become of him since that series. Later, I was rather surprised to discover that he had died that very day ...