Back in September, an episode on one of my favourite NPR podcasts, Hidden Brain, was about coincidence and how chance occurrences are perhaps not as mathematically extraordinary as we think. The following month I travelled with Steve on business to Sofia, Bulgaria, and I experienced my own coincidental moment (which was kind of coincidental itself, right?). Mathematically possible or not, my experience was a freaky little moment that became even more extraordinary upon our return home.
Incredible Travel Coincidences
Because my coincidence story happened during travel, I wondered if there were others who had similar experiences. Maybe our world is just a lot smaller than we think it is. So, I canvassed Twitter and Facebook followers about any coincidences during travel they might have had. A few agreed to share their stories. First, here’s my “what are the odds?” tale.
Chance Meeting: You’re from where?
Following a walking tour of Sofia, I stopped at a popular restaurant for lunch to duck out of a rain shower. As I was chatting with the waitress and paying my bill, I heard a male voice from a couple of tables over say, “Excuse me miss, is that a North American accent I hear?” I looked over to see a hulking man with a beaming smile. I told him that indeed, I was visiting from Canada. He said he was from Canada too – from Manitoba (my home province). “Wow, I’m from Winnipeg,” I responded. “I’m from Virden!” he exclaimed (about a 3-hour drive from Winnipeg).
Turns out the fellow I met is Landon Fillion. Landon was in Bulgaria representing Canada in the World Arm Wrestling Championships. Seriously! It was the first time Landon had travelled outside of Canada, and he was staying just outside of Sofia with “friends of friends.”
Looking like a drown rat, but my proof of meeting Landon Fillion.
Okay, so that was interesting. Neat coincidence, right? Not that unfathomable.
Fast forward to a couple of months later. Steve and I are at a house concert in Winnipeg. We run into an acquaintance we haven’t seen in a while, and we chat and catch up. We mention that we had recently visited Bulgaria. She says, “Oh, I just met a woman earlier here who lives in Bulgaria, you should meet her.” Our acquaintance introduces us to the women who was visiting her husband’s family in Winnipeg. A friend of hers had invited her to the house concert at the last minute.
Steve, who has been to Sofia several times for business, spent a good deal of time exchanging stories of life in Bulgaria with this woman, who was surprised to meet someone who was at all familiar with the country as it is not a common destination for Canadians.
Finally, I chimed in with the coincidence story about the national arm wrestling champ I met there who turned out to be from Virden, Manitoba. As I was telling the story, the expression on this woman’s face turned to one of astonishment. She stopped me before the end and said, “That’s Landon Fillion! We were the ones he stayed with, and he told me the story of meeting you in the restaurant!”
Other Coincidence Stories
Unexpected Reunions
Submitted by: Kirsty Marrins
Blog: What Kirsty Did Next
In 2009, my now husband and I went on holiday to Singapore. I knew that James, an old family friend from South Africa, was living in Singapore but as I hadn’t seen him since 1998, I didn’t make plans to meet up.
As we were waiting to get the Sentosa Express to Sentosa Island, I heard someone shout ‘Kirsty!’. It was James! We planned to meet for a drink that night with his parents but when we got back to the hotel early evening, jet lag kicked in, and we fell asleep! It was our last night in Singapore before heading to Malaysia, so we missed out on a reunion.
Submitted by: Jo Cahill
Blog: Over the Edge of the Wild
I was in Chefchaouen, Morocco on New Year’s Eve. I didn’t know a soul there, but went out into the medina and ran into a guy I went to university with in New Zealand. I hadn’t seen or spoken to him in more than two years.
The chance meeting of schoolmates Sammyh and Jo
Submitted by: Mike Diehl
Twitter: @xhead
When I was visiting Prince Edward Island, my cousin spotted me on the beach. She was on vacation and lives in British Columbia while I live in Manitoba. We hadn’t seen each other in decades.
Surprising Connections
Submitted by: Nicolette Orlemans
Blog: Culture with Travel
Years ago when I was at college in the United States, two friends of mine who did not know each other reached out to me over Facebook. I hadn’t seen either of them in a while – one of them several weeks before at our work at the college radio station, and the other not since senior year of high school. I was wondering why both of them were reaching out to me on the same day. I got my answer when I opened the messages to find that not only were they both now living and working in Berlin, but they happened to be interning at the same organization. What are the odds of that? As they started talking more, they realized that they not only shared a common passion for journalism but that they also had one more connection: a friendship with me!
Over to you: Have you experienced an amazing travel-related coincidence? Leave a comment with your story.
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe to Tag Along Travel? Twice a month, you’ll receive an email with links to recent posts.
PIN IT!
My family only had two short days in Paris and chose to spend one of those days at the Louvre. As my sons were exploring the Egyptian gallery, I was sitting on a bench, resting and enjoying the ambiance. Across the room was a person who looked like someone I knew from our church, but hadn’t talked to for quite awhile. As I stared at this person I realized it WAS her!! They were in Paris for only a couple of days too. After we laughed at the coincidence and took a selfie (of course), they disappeared again in that huge facility!
Another great travel coincidence story! Thanks, Cheryl.