Passports and Weddings
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understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.
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The day after our wedding we went to Gatwick to fly to Venice for our honeymoon. We were at the front of the queue to board the plane and there were two desks open to check passports. As my wife showed her passport, the receptionist asked "Do you have an extension on your passport?" Simultaneously I heard the receptionist at the other desk ask the same question to the lady of the next couple in the queue. My wife's passport had expired and the other lady's passport had also expired. In the event, after phoning ahead to Venice, both were allowed to travel. Inevitably we all began talking and it transpired that while we were going to Venice for our honeymoon, they were going for their wedding anniversary. One evening during our stay, we bumped into the same couple in a very busy St Mark's Square.
Date submitted:Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:16:49 +0000Coincidence ID:5372
