Sean's Travel Coincidences

You never know who you might meet by 'coincidence' when you go travelling.

Take the case of Australian Sean Belling for instance.

In 2007 he visited Europe primarily for the Rugby World Cup. While in a pub in Wales he bumped into a girl he had known way back from pre-school, plus a former High School friend. He also found out that one of the pub employees was one of his Primary School mates.

But there was even more.

About a week later he was in France and, while walking across a town square in Montpellier, he bumped into the same High School friend he had met in the Welsh pub. Sean also met the same friend once more a few weeks later - again by coincidence - during Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

Travel broadens the scope for coincidences and synchronicity.

Thanks JC for this coincidence story.

Other Coincidence and Synchronicity Stories:
Someone Special Delivered By Coincidences
The Lost And Found Happiness Keys Coincidence
Five New Brooms Arrived By Coincidence
Search this blog's archives for more than 100 coincidence & synchronicity stories.

Baby Cousins Coincidence

A coincidence story, with thanks, from Chris.

This amazes me every time I think about it.

I have two cousins who are brother and sister and both were expecting to become parents for the first time in January this year. One baby, a girl, arrived four days early and the other, a boy, arrived four days late. But both babies were born at exactly 8.30am on the 21st of January.

What are the chances of that happening?

~ Chris

If you have a coincidence story you wish to have published on this blog or 67notout.com please use the Contact Button on 67 Not Out - thanks.

Other Coincidence Story Posts on This Blog:
Pilot Meets German Who Saved His Life In WW2
He Sees Himself On 40 Year Old Video Coincidence
Comic Cover Coincidence

There are now well over 100 coincidence stories on this blog.

Someone Special Delivered By Coincidences

Is it fate or just a coincidence? Michael Cook and Kristen Reed have just got married. Okay nothing bizarre there until, that is, the coincidences start to stack up.

The couple met at a wedding five years ago in New Jersey. He'd travelled from Virginia and Kristen from Florida. They got talking, as you do, on such occasions. There was an attraction but they had to return to their respective homes. Nowadays, of course, we have emails and even the phone so they kept in touch.

A month went by and the attraction was still there. It was then that they started to notice the coincidences.

Kristen told the Cape Cod Times, "I told him my birthday was March 30, 1978, and he said, 'So is mine.'"

One swallow doesn't make a summer and one coincidence doesn't make a cluster. Michael had, after all, also dated another girl who had her birthday on March 30th.

Kristen asked more questions, "I asked him where he was born, and he said Virginia, and I said, 'So was I.' He said he was born at Fairfax Hospital, and I said, 'So was I.'

"I thought he was just kidding me, so I made him make a copy of his driver's license and fax it to me. It was true!"

There then followed other little things. They had both spent a lot of time at Cape Cod. Kristen's grandparents have a home in Harwich and Michael spent vacations in Harwich Port every year, as did Kristen. They were well and truly inter-linked in all sorts of ways.

They married on October 30, 2010. Standing up for them was Kristen's younger sister and Michael's brother - who just happen to share the same birthday!

This couple were meant to meet at that wedding in New Jersey. It was written in the stars or somewhere.

A final note from Kristen, "I'm the dreamer of the two of us. I always believed that someone special would come into my life, but I never thought it would be something like this!"

Other Coincidence and Synchronicity Stories
(there are well over 100 on this blog)
Bizarre Coincidence Of Her Mum's Phone Call
Mother And Daughter Unite By Unique Twist Of Fate
Married Couple In The Same Photo As Children

Scrabble Coincidence Story Spells Out Her Name

Scrabble? Yes a Scrabble coincidence from Raine Carosin a South African artist.

Raine was playing the automated version of Scrabble on her computer. The third 'player' placed the word 'rain' - which happens to be how her first name, Raine, sounds (without the e). The letters left on her own grid spelled out her surname: Carosin. She was so impressed by seeing her name that she took a screen shot of the coincidence, as seen above.

Raine sent me an interesting email where she expressed her belief that there is a 'Higher Hand' that can move us to where we should be at any time. She writes, "... the wonderful thing was that I had a vision ... of Eternity, which I painted because God told me to. Anyway, I'm not the best artist, but I did do the paintings."

A selection of Raine's paintings can be seen on South African Artists, picture on right is called Lady.

She continued to say, "... but what amazed me more than anything is that we can be moved to where we must be, like a cloud or a book. I cannot write about all the things that have happened, but synchronicity is a reality.

Just tonight my husband, Pierre, and I, marvelled at how we both were being employed in two separate Internet companies by our two different contacts: his - Jakes, and mine, Jake. We've only been married 4 years, but we are most definitely cosmic twins."

My thanks to Raine for her coincidence and view on life.

Other Coincidence Stories
There are now well over 100 coincidence stories on this Blog including:
Speeding Car Chase Coincidence
He Sees Himself On 40 Year Old Video Coincidence
Coincidence Of Double Exposure On Newspapers Front Page

In Gods Hands: The Creator Of Coincidences

Here's a story that the writer says stopped him believing in coincidences. It's all down to God.

I was living in San Francisco one summer after college (which I attended in my home state of Mississippi) and I was really depressed, praying often that God would show me that He knew my situation and would see me through it.

The woman I was staying with invited her son and his wife, neither of whom I had ever met, over for dinner. Within 10 minutes of their arrival it was discovered that this woman's daughter-in-law had been best friends with my father in high school (North Carolina) and had rocked me at my father's funeral when I was one year old after he died in a plane crash.

I knew then that God knew exactly where I was and what I was going through... and that was also the day I stopped believing in 'coincidences'.

~ Anon

Other Coincidence and Synchronicity Stories:
Bizarre Coincidence Of Her Mum's Phone Call
Philadelphia Taxi Coincidence
Helen Finds Boyfriend's Buried Money By Coincidence

The Double Coincidence Of Want

This is something I came across across, which is called, the double coincidence of want and was first published on my other blog 67 Not Out. It's not about the usual coincidences and synchronicity but I found it quite interesting. What it does is to show us how much easier life is using money as opposed to a bartering system.

The phrase the double coincidence of want was coined by William Stanley Jevons (1835-1882) in his book Money and the Mechanism of Exchange which is now in the public domain. It was published way back in 1876.

This is what Jevons wrote: "The first difficulty in barter is to find two persons whose disposable possessions mutually suit each other's wants. There may be many people wanting, and many possessing those things wanted; but to allow of an act of barter there must be a double coincidence, which will rarely happen."

In other words there have to be coincidences for a barter to take place. He goes on to give examples of the problems with bartering. This is one of them:

"When Mr. Wallace was travelling in the Malay Archipelago, he seems to have suffered rather from the scarcity than the superabundance of provisions. In his most interesting account of his travels, he tells us that in some of the islands, where there was no proper currency, he could not procure supplies for dinner without a special bargain and much chaffering upon each occasion. If the vendor of fish or other coveted eatables did not meet with the sort of exchange desired, he would pass on, and Mr. Wallace and his party had to go without their dinner. It therefore became very desirable to keep on hand a supply of articles, such as knives, pieces of cloth, arrack, or sago cakes, to multiply the chance that one or other article would suit the itinerant merchant.

I won't bore you with too much on the subject but it does show how different kinds of coincidences can affect all parts of life. Jevons spoke of the benefits of money when trading - as coincidences are then no longer required for a transaction to take place:

"Accustomed from our earliest years to the use of money, we are unconscious of the inestimable benefits which it confers upon us; and only when we recur to altogether different states of society can we realize the difficulties which arise in its absence."

Further coincidence and synchronicity stories:
Bizarre Coincidence Of Her Mum's Phone Call
Vietnam Veteran In Tears Following 44 Year Old Coincidence
Finding a £10 Note Coincidence

An Occasional Cluster Of Coincidences

This is about a cluster of coincidences I had recently.

Our son, daughter-in-law and grandson have gone away on holiday to Majorca. We didn't have any idea of how long it would take to get to their destination. My wife said to me, "I wonder when they will arrive?"

As soon as she had finished her sentence the phone rang. It was our son saying, "Hello dad, we've just arrived."

Now that's how quickly all questions should be answered!

Karin and I had to go to the supermarket for a big shop. I usually wander off to look at the CDs and stuff while she fills up the trolley with essentials. I was in a world of my own thinking about something that had happened the previous week and how - out of the blue - the problem was solved. I thought to myself, "Strange how that all worked out so well, wonder how that happened?"

A voice said, "It was divine intervention." It was just like someone was answering the question in my mind. It actually turned out to be an elderly women relating a story to a friend. But, for me, she was answering my question too.

That morning, when the post arrived, there were letters for both myself and my wife from banks, both with new PIN numbers for credit / debit cards. I asked my wife what her four digit number was. Incredibly it was exactly the same as the one I had received. And this was virtually the same thing that had happened to Tom in a post on my other blog, 67 Not Out, see Readers Coincidence Stories.

I was thinking (I seem to do a lot of that recently) about something that Nancy had written as a comment on a blog post about UFO's. She wrote, "... I think they (UFOs) are around quite often and for some reason they are not always visible to everyone."

So why can't everyone see UFOs?

That evening I picked up an old book about Uri Gellerby Andrija Puharich, opened it up at rendom to page 248. This was a supposed conversation with an alien called Hoova about UFO/Alien visits. This is what Hoova is quoted as saying, after being asked if space visitations were from his 'group':

"Most of these reports by humans (about UFOs) are due to hallucinations and aberrations. But some units have landed. But most of the reported landings have been other visitors from space - some of whom we do not see. They are of different vibrations different spaces, different velocities. We are the only ones who are mostly here. The other visitors come and go. We stay.

So seeing UFOs is (perhaps) all down to the old favourite: vibrations.

Okay, so there we have a cluster of small coincidences. It seems true to me that once we start thinking about, or talking about, something important to us coincidences and answers follow - okay sometimes. Wonder why not every time?

Other Coincidence Stories:
Bizarre Coincidence Of Her Mum's Phone Call
Afghanistan War Coincidence With The 1800s
How To Find Lucky Serendipity And Coincidences

The Fruity Coincidence

This is a small personal coincidence story.

I don't eat apples as I don't think they agree me except when cooked in an apple pie. My wife isn't bothered about them either so we never buy them as part of our fruit choice when we go shopping at the supermarket.

However on Friday last week my wife decided to buy two apples along with the normal fruit we wanted. I asked her why she had bought them but she just mumbled something about they might come in useful. So who was I to argue!

On Friday evening my wife ate one of the apples so we had one left.

On Saturday afternoon a neighbour knocked on our door and said that he knew it was a strange request but did we have an apple he could have. It seems he and his wife were holding a kids party for their daughter and were one apple short to give to the children attending.

So funnily enough, or by coincidence or precognition we had a spare apple.

Okay not exactly a world shattering coincidence but it makes you wonder ...

Other Coincidence Stories:
Attracting Birds Coincidence
She Was Topless In Front Of Her Postman
Speeding Car Chase Coincidence

Bizarre Coincidence Of Her Mum's Phone Call

A telephone coincidence story from Valerie today. I've read several that are similar and it does make you wonder how such things can possibly happen.

This is a coincidence that has always stuck in my mind but happened when I was still a teenager.

I was about fifteen and should have been doing a homework project with a friend at her house. Instead we headed for the town centre as this is where a boy we both fancied would likely be hanging out.

At the centre we passed a phone box and it began ringing. My friend, Annie, dared me to answer the phone. I opened the door of the phone box, lifted the phone and said, "Hello." And my mum answered!

Mum said, "Hello Val, what time will you be back from Annie's house, as dinner is nearly ready?"

I was so shocked I told mum where I was and she wasn't very pleased with me as I should have been doing my school work.

By some strange coincidence the phone box number was the same phone number as my friend's house but with one digit different. Mum must have dialled wrongly at exactly the time I was walking past the phone box.

Though I've had lots of coincidences since I think this is the most bizarre one and was the first coincidence I ever remember happening to me.

~ Valerie

Other coincidence stories:
The Birthday Phone Call Coincidence
Classic Coincidence Adoption Story
Mother And Daughter Unite By Unique Twist Of Fate

The Balancing Cigarette Coincidence

Another quickie today, coincidence story that is, from an anonymous reader.

The cigarette trick


I once saw a guy flick away a finished cigarette and have it land straight up on its end.

Admittedly, the pavement was damp, but still ... I'm pretty sure I'll never see that happen again. A coincidence?

~ Anon

Other (Better) Coincidence Stories:
The Gibraltar Wedding Photos Coincidence
The Buddha Coincidence Connection Story
Speeding Car Chase Coincidence

The Piano Playing Coincidence

A quickie coincidence story from Chas.

About 25 years ago, I was a regular patron at a little piano bar (in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho). Weekly, I listened to a gentleman there named Tony Nardi. The bar went out of business at about the same time I joined the USAF.

At my very first duty station at RAF Lakenheath, in the UK, I walked into the NCO Club and there was Tony Nardi playing the piano

~ Chas.

George's Secret Of Waking Up On Time

Waking up at the right time


"This probably isn't a coincidence as such but I can wake up to within one or two minutes of whatever time I've programmed myself to wake up.

I was taught this technique by an old nun, so as not to miss choir practice:

As you are going to sleep imaging a clock face of the current time, then imagine it winding forward to your wake up time, then back, until you fall asleep.

It works every time for me."


~ George

Meeting By Coincidence On A Maths Day

A coincidence story by Kelly of how two friends met up again on a Maths Day.

"This happened a while ago, and I hadn't thought of it as any more than a coincidence until now. My best friend and I used to be close friends with a girl who moved to a different school, as did we. We both lost contact with this girl completely.

Five years later, and both of us were invited to go to a Maths Day. There were students from a number of different schools there. We went over to the group we had been put in, and my best friend sat down at the end of the row, leaving one seat there which I sat down in. The girl next to me stared at me, and as I turned to face her I immediately recognised her as the girl I had lost contact with."

~ Kelly

More Coincidence Stories:
Vietnam Veteran In Tears Following 44 Year Old Coincidence
She Was Topless In Front Of Her Postman
Coincidence Of A Fly Who Made An Impression

Classic Coincidence Adoption Story

A classic coincidence story from days gone by. This one concerns the English writer and artist Augustus J.C Hare.

In the 1830s, when he was just 14 months old, he was given up for adoption. In Hare's autobiography he relates the following story:

On the anniversary of my adoption, we all went to Mannheim and dined at the hotel where, seventeen years before, I, being fourteen months old, was given away to my aunt, who was also my godmother, to live with her forever as if I were her own child.

When we returned to the station in the evening on the platform was a poor woman crying bitterly, with a child in her arms.

She was asked if she was in great trouble. "Yes," she said.

"It is about my little child, who is only fourteen months old, and is going away from me forever in the train which is coming. It is going to be adopted by its aunt, who is also its godmother, and I shall never, never have anything to do with it any more."

Other Coincidence Stories:
The Coincidence Meeting At Boscastle Cornwall
Speeding Car Chase Coincidence
She Dreamed Of Her Grandma's Death Coincidence

A Billion To One Round Egg Coincidence

I remember writing a couple of egg posts a while back on my other blog 67 Not Out: there was Eggs On To Be A Coincidence and Eggs On To Be A Second Coincidence. Well the eggs-citing news is, here's another egg story - though I think I'll miss out on the naff egg yokes, sorry jokes.

Now they say that the odds of this happening are about a billion to one. Not sure who works out these stats but, anyway, a chef found a completely round egg. A normal chicken egg, that is.

The guy, James Church, lives here in Cornwall and was preparing breakfasts for the Hotel Bristol, where he works in Newquay - and there it was: a perfectly round egg.

James said, "I've probably cracked at least 100,000 eggs in my time as a chef but I've never seen one like this. I managed to save it from the frying pan and I'm definitely going to keep it."

He went on to tell the Daily Mail newspaper, "We get trays of free range eggs delivered in the morning and I was cracking them ready to make breakfast for the guests. I pulled out one tray and spotted this perfectly round egg. I stood for a few moments in awe because I had never seen anything like it. I called everyone in the kitchen over and they stood around it too, because they had never seen anything like it either."

So, there you go, a billion to one coincidence - or will more round eggs come to light?

Other Coincidence and Synchronicity Examples:
He Sees Himself On 40 Year Old Video Coincidence
The Impossible Happens On The Chinese Lottery
A Coincidence Thousands Of Miles From Home

June 23rd Coincidence

April's coincidence story about the 23rd of June - which just happens to also be my mother's birthday.

"We married two years ago and were renovating a house we had moved into. At the time I was pregnant so my husband did most of the heavy work, while I supervised!

He was working in what was to be our bedroom and there was a boarded up fireplace, but the previous owners hadn't done a very good job of it.

My husband knocked in the boarded up part so he could re-plaster the area to make it all smooth with the rest of the wall. Behind the board was part of a newspaper, at the top was the date of June 23 (1970).

Nothing too strange in this but our baby was born a few months later on June 23rd. I don't know if this was some kind of prediction or an omen. We called the baby June (it was a girl!) and I'm called April. I'm pregnant again but I can't see us calling a son or daughter October!"
~ April

Other Coincidence and Synchronicity Posts:
Date On Her Boyfriends Baby Photo Was Her Birthday
There's A Coincidence Time For Everything
Freebies Of Beethoven Music Coincidence Stories

A Message From Her Dead Father Coincidence

A coincidence story today from Amber about a possible message from her deceased father.

Hello again, (Amber also had a story included previously on 67 Not Out)

I had another coincidence yesterday that meant a whole lot to me and I wanted to share with you.

My dear father passed away two years ago and yesterday was his birthday. I went to the grocery store and got some items and my total came out to $6.59.

The significance of that is, a few years ago we were both on our local volunteer rescue squad together, and you are assigned numbers to identify yourself on the radio. My fathers just so happened to be 659.

I've never gotten anything with a total of 659 and it was very special to get it on his birthday. I took it as a special message he was looking down on me.

Thanks for your time.
~ Amber

Coincidences like this are often overlooked or are said to have happened by chance. To the person concerned, however, they are very real and meaningful.

Other Coincidence and Synchronicity Stories:
She Dreamed Of Her Grandma's Death Coincidence
A Message From My Dead Father
Missing Presumed Killed Coincidence

Vietnam Veteran In Tears Following 44 Year Old Coincidence

Soldiers Laying Down Covering Fire With Machine Gun - Vietnam 1966

Sometimes a coincidence or coincidences can bring to the surface emotions locked away for years and years. It's as if the final part of the jigsaw is finally put in it's place. This is such a story, first seen in the Star-Telegraph.

Ada Randall hung a picture of her brother-in-law, Sgt. John E. Miller, in the West Side Cafe, Fort Worth. Sgt. Miller had been killed in South Vietnam nearly 44 years ago.

Galen Taylor was on a break to the area on his way to see his grandchildren. Fancying something to eat he stopped off at the West Side Cafe for some bacon and eggs. As he entered he saw the photo of Sgt. Miller and was instantly reduced to tears.

The cafe's hostess, Angela Rowell, explained, "I saw this big man just burst into tears. I asked him, 'Are you OK, sir?' He just pointed at that picture. Eventually, he managed to get out, 'That's the man whose body I pulled out of Vietnam.'"

Galen Taylor had no idea that John Miller had any connection with Fort Worth. As far as he knew Miller's home town was West Point, Ill. where he was raised with his six brothers and sisters.

Ada Randall, commented, "It was like I had gotten a message from Johnny. It shook me up for several days."

Sgt. Miller had been sent to Vietnam - along with his best friends Wade Linder and Vicente Rodriguez - all of them were members of Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry.

On May 12 1966 Vincente Rodriguez was killed and Sgt Miller had the painful duty of escorting the body from Vietnam back to Pharr in the Rio Grande Valley.

Sgt. Miller had a premonition that he too would be killed. Before he headed back to Vietnam, after the funeral, he sat on the porch of Ada Randall's house in Fort Worth. Randall said, "He didn't think he would come back. I said, 'Oh, don't say things like that.'"

On June 11, 1966, about 9:30 in the morning, Miller was fatally shot in the head just after he single-handedly attacked and silenced a machine gun nest with grenades. He earned the Silver Star posthumously for his bravery. Thirty-four men from 2nd Battalion died that morning in the same firefight. Galen Taylor was wounded.

This time, the third friend, Wade Linder escorted Sgt. Miller's body back to Granbury where he was buried.

Linder insisted on seeing his friend's body in state and pinned the Silver Star on his uniform.

For Galen Taylor, his visit to Fort Worth proved to be deeply satisfying, but stressful too. He had been going to counseling for the last two years for post-traumatic stress caused by feelings and thoughts from Vietnam. These manifested themselves after he retired from working.

"The visit took its toll on me mentally and physically," he said, "But I was very happy to find that picture."

This, however, wasn't to be the end of the story. There was a further coincidence to follow.

After the story became known locally, about Galen Taylor and Sgt. Miller's photo, a Maria Lofton called the Star-Telegram from her home outside Joshua in Johnson County. She told them, "My husband, Staff Sgt. Glen Lofton, was also killed June 11, 1966, and he was in the 28th Infantry. Isn't that a coincidence?"

To say it was a coincidence was an understatement to Taylor. He found it hard to believe that three young men, from different parts of the country, would be in the same infantry unit, the same battle and that all three of their families would eventually make their way to the Fort Worth area.

The three families had all developed Fort Worth ties, unknown to each other for the past 44 years - even though they lived only miles apart.

Galen Taylor was put in contact with Maria Lofton. It was only then that she finally learned the full details of her husband's death. She said, "I never knew how he was killed until I talked to Mr. Taylor"

Everything slotted together because of the photo in the cafe and Galen Taylor fancying some eggs and bacon. But some things are, surely, meant to happen. The final piece of the jigsaw was found and the picture completed.

Other Coincidence and Synchronicity Stories:
Pilot Meets German Who Saved His Life In WW2
Coincidences Which Solved The Mystery Of The WW2 Giant
Missing Presumed Killed Coincidence

The Lost And Found Happiness Keys Coincidence

A 67 Not Out reader's coincidence story today, who wishes to remain anonymous.

"I went on a long walk with my friend who was visiting me from up country. We did a circular route through the woods and countryside of Dorset and about five hours later returned to my car.

I was horrified to see that the pocket, where my keys should have been, was inside out. I panicked, the keys were definitely lost.

Sheepishly I phoned my husband to drive over to where we were stranded with my spare set of keys. He was none to pleased to say the least and eventually, following quite an ear bashing (with words only of course), we reached home.

It wasn't only my car key that was missing. It was on a ring that also held my door key etc. plus other sentimental things I had attached.

I put off getting replacements and the following weekend my parents also came to visit. I took them on the same walk. My husband was working all day Saturday so he lectured me about keeping my pocket zipped up properly and why hadn't I got any replacement keys as yet etc. etc. You know what men are like.

My parents enjoyed the walk, it was one they hadn't been on previously. As we eventually strolled back towards my car I saw a man in front of us bend to pick up something. My heart started thumping as I knew exactly what he had found. As we caught up with him he said, "Don't suppose you've lost any keys have you? Just found these in the ferns."

I could have kissed him (but didn't as my parents were with me) because they were the keys I had lost the previous week. I was very happy on the drive home.

When we arrived home even my grumpy husband had to smile at the coincidence of the finding of the keys.

I suppose it is a coincidence!"

More Coincidence Story Posts:
He Sees Himself On 40 Year Old Video Coincidence
Speeding Car Chase Coincidence
She Was Topless In Front Of Her Postman

Coincidence Of The White Feathers From Her Sister

I have written several posts on my 67 Not Out blog about white feathers, the first one being White Feathers Comfort The Bereaved. The 'coincidence' story that follows, from Yvonne, is in relation to that post. I say 'coincidence' but there is really more to it than that.

"I wanted to say thank you for your posts about white feathers and how they sometimes can help the bereaved.

I had recently lost my sister and was feeling very down. I decided to go for a walk and outside my front door there was a large, almost fluffy white feather. I probably wouldn't have given this any significance but for your blog.

For some reason I felt I should visit my sister's grave. There was a bus stop nearby and as I reached it a bus, which passed by the cemetery, pulled up. I got on so I could visit the grave.

At the cemetery I could see another woman standing near to what appeared to be my sister's grave.

This woman turned out to be a childhood friend of my sister and I who I hadn't seen for ten years or more. She had read of Maggie's death and decided to pay her respects.

That was a big enough coincidence until I noticed that on my sister's grave was another white feather.

I'm not sure if this was a message from my sister but it helped me, as did seeing our friend at the graveside. I would have missed seeing her if I hadn't decided to get on that particular bus.

Since that day I have seen several more white feathers and they always bring a smile to my face."

~ Yvonne

The Message Behind Coincidence Meetings

Coincidence stories today about unexpected meetings. The first couple are from a neighbour.

He and his wife had a break in Scotland for five days and during the holiday they visited a whisky factory. They completed the tour and afterwards relaxed in the bar - with, of course, a couple of whiskies.

He then heard someone calling out his name, turned round and it was an old friend who he hadn't seen for about four or five years. They had been on the same factory tour.

What was more remarkable, however, was that these friends had emigrated to New Zealand and were now on holiday on a coach tour of the UK, remembering old times.

Our neighbours were invited to New Zealand. Perhaps that's why they were destined to meet up.

He also had a similar experience when he booked a last minute break to Benidorm in Spain. He and his wife were sitting outside a cafe in the sunshine having an afternoon coffee and cake and watching the world go by.

On the opposite side of the road they saw another couple and remarked how they looked very much like their son's wife's parents. They didn't think any more about it.

When they returned home they rang their son, their daughter-in-law answered and said that her parents had also just returned from a last minute break, yes, in Benidorm.

It's always interesting how these sort of coincidences happen. Once my wife and I made a visit to London. We were wandering around Hampton Court Palace maze and bumped into a neighbour. We joked about how we hadn't seen each other for weeks but met up in a maze in London.

With these sort of chance meetings I think it's useful to try and see if there is a reason behind the connection. Perhaps the people we meet have some sort of message for us or vice versa. There is often a reason.

Other Coincidence and Synchronicity Posts:
A Coming Together Of Time Place And Circumstance
The Same Clouds Caught On Camera Coincidence
Coincidence Of A Fly Who Made An Impression

Mother And Daughter Unite By Unique Twist Of Fate

On UK's BBC television there was a My Story competition and the winner was Julie Wassmer with her More Than Just Coincidence. From the title, you will realise why I am mentioning this true story.

The story is about a mother and daughter who were 'reunited in a remarkable twist of fate.'

Okay, so what is this coincidence story all about? Here's a synopsis:

"At the age of 36 struggling writer, Julie Wassmer, was about to have her first ever meeting with a literary agent. Little did Julie know how momentous this meeting was set to be.

Twenty years earlier, when Julie was just sixteen, she had become pregnant. Worried how her parents would react, Julie had kept her pregnancy a secret right up until the day she gave birth. Ten days later, she was forced to make the hardest decision of her life: to give her baby up for adoption.

As the years passed, Julie often wondered what had happened to her daughter. Now, through the most extraordinary of coincidences, Julie was about to find out. A temporary secretary called Sara had just started working in the agents’ office. Sara had recently discovered that she had been adopted, and had just got hold of her birth certificate. According to the certificate, her mother’s name was Julie Wassmer."

As you will have guessed Julie and Sara were mother and daughter. When they met for the first time, at Kew Gardens in London, they got on like a house on fire. Julie says they were like twins and were able to talk naturally right from the start.

Julie writes in the epilogue of her book, "I feel blessed to have been granted a second chance: the opportunity to know and love not only my lost daughter, but her own beautiful children, Caden and Tullulah."

And all because of more than just a coincidence.

More Than Just a Coincidence is available from Amazon UK.

This post was previously published on my other blog 67 Not Out. Julie sent me the following comment about this:

"I am Julie Wassmer, the author of 'More Than Just Coincidence', published recently by Harper Collins.

Thank you so much for your comments which I was very interested to read. The extraordinary way in which I was reunited with my daughter, Sara, is a story which only now, after twenty years, did I feel able to share with a wider audience. 

The Harper Collins/BBC project 'My Story' offered me the opportunity to do that. It seems ironic that although I was working as a scriptwriter in television for many years, and involved in numerous dramatic, fictional plotlines for shows like 'Eastenders', I carried around in my heart the most exceptional story - which was true. Now, that story is finally out and I have been heartened, touched and moved by the reactions of those who have contacted me after reading the book. 

I do believe that at the very heart of this story lies the message that, sometimes, things can work out for the best - without our intervention.

I sincerely hope that my book has a positive effect on the lives of all who come to read it. 

Best wishes,
Julie."

Further Coincidence & Synchronicity Stories:
The Gibraltar Wedding Photos Coincidence
Five New Brooms Arrived By Coincidence
Amazing Heart Coincidence: Their Hearts Matched

Baby Points The Way To Ancestors

A special baby points the way in today's coincidence story from Carolyn.

Like most families, mine wasn't too concerned with our history until the people who knew it were almost gone.

My grandmother couldn't remember anything of the story of how our ancestors came to Canada. There was no other way to find out what we wanted to know.

Then grandma's first great-grandchild was born. The baby was given his name for reasons related to the other side of the family. But when Grandma heard the name, a light bulb was lit.

Purely by coincidence, the name was also the name of the small town in Saskatchewan where her grandparents had settled. With that small hint, she suddenly remembered the name of their village in Romania and other information that allowed us to collect quite a bit of the family story that we thought was lost forever.

Grandma's first great grandchild is a very special one indeed!

Thanks for the great site!

~ Carolyn

Other Coincidence Stories and Examples:
Pilot Meets German Who Saved His Life In WW2
Classic Anne Parrish Coincidence Story
Synchronicity Of A Beatles Song Sealed Their Romance

The Amazing Connection After 15 Years

Today's short, yet quite remarkable synchronicity story, is from Joel and was sent to my other blog 67 Not Out.

"My wife recently got a phone call from Dr.B., someone she hadn't spoken to in many years.

He said he was calling because he remembered that we had been to Budapest back in the 1990s, and he wanted the name of the guide we used.

Try as she might, my wife couldn't remember the name of the guide. Suddenly, she heard the call-waiting beep on the phone.

My wife excused herself to Dr.B. for a second to answer the other call. And who was this other caller? Yes, it was Laszo F., the Budapest guide, calling to say hello after more than fifteen years!"

~ Joel

Other Coincidence and Synchronicity Stories:
A Coincidence Thousands Of Miles From Home
The Middle Of The Bible Coincidence
Afghanistan War Coincidence With The 1800s

The Vicious Weever Fish Stinging Coincidence

A bit of a fishy coincidence story today from south Wales.

It was a beautiful sunny day so, as you do on such days, John Weaver took to the water on the lovely Gower peninsular at Caswell Bay.

He was having a great time until he was stung by a poisonous fish - and it was a weever fish.

Okay, a slightly different spelling to John's surname but still a coincidence and it made the chief lifeguard smile. He said, "While everyone concerned saw the funny side of this story, weever fish stings can be very painful. The regular treatment is for the foot to be immersed in as hot water as the casualty can tolerate, for up to 20 minutes. If necessary, they may have to endure another 20 minutes in hot water to take the poison out of the foot."

The chances of being stung by a weever fish are actually very small but there was another victim that day: Dan Weaver - yes, John's son. He too was stung by a weever fish.

And how many other victims were there that day? Well none. In fact the lifeguards had no other incidents to deal with all day - other than those two weavers being stung by a weever!

Other Coincidence & Synchronicity Stories:
The Coincidence Meeting At Boscastle Cornwall
The Doppelganger Coincidence
The Giant WW2 Soldier Coincidence

Philadelphia Taxi Coincidence

Photo: benbrewer85

A coincidence story today, which I received via email, from Cheryl.

"I have a coincidence to share with others. It is more of an overwhelming odds situation, but aren’t all coincidences that?

I was sharing a house in Berkeley, California with a few women in the early 90’s. One of my room-mates was an activist for the organization Rainforest Action Network. She often travelled for conferences and meetings, and one week had the occasion to go to Philadelphia, my home town.

While in Philadelphia, she caught a taxi. The taxi driver started up a friendly conversation with her, inquiring where she was from. When she answered, "Berkeley, California," the driver replied enthusiastically, "Oh, that’s funny, I have a daughter in Berkeley, California. She went to UC Berkeley, and is now a video producer."

It didn’t take them long to discover that the taxi driver was my father.

My Dad called me that night to ask me who I thought had been in his cab that day. Originally, I guessed famous people, thinking that was his angle.

"Think about who you know that’s close to you, who you see every day, that could be in Philadelphia." he said. I was totally stumped, and finally he told me, "Your room-mate!" He asked me to ask my mathematician friends what the odds of such a thing happening were.

Well I never found out the true odds, or how one would arrive at such a conclusion. My Dad is no longer with us to marvel at this coincidence, but it was one of our all time favorite cab stories - as well as a 'famous' coincidences in our lives."

- Cheryl.

Further Reading:
A Message From My Dead Father
16th Century Cottage Coincidence Story
10 Coincidence Or Synchronicity Examples

The Angel Prayer Music Coincidence

Today's short coincidence experience is from Georgina. If you have a coincidence and/or Synchronicity story you would like published on this blog please use the contact button on 67 Not Out, which is my other blog - thanks.

"Hi,

I had a strange coincidence when I was in my car and I prayed for angels to be with me through out the day. 

Once I had prayed, my radio - which was broken - worked perfectly. Music flowed beautifully on each channel. 


The strange thing was, when the music came through the song played was 'In the Arms of an Angel.'

~ Georgina

Other Coincidence and Synchronicity Experiences:
She Dreamed Of Her Grandma's Death Coincidence
She Found Her Son Exposed On Her Daughters Photo
Visualisation Technique Brings A New Carpet

Working On A Roof Coincidence

With thanks to Amber for today's coincidence story.

"I want to start off by saying I Stumbled onto your site/blog and I love it. Also I had a small coincidence today I thought I'd share with you.

I was going to pay my insurance, and hadn't deposited the money into the bank as usual, so I had to go to the company to pay it. While driving there I thought about a friend and remembered that last week he was working on a roof somewhere. I thought how great it would be if he were working on the insurance company roof, which I knew he wouldn't be.

When I pulled into the small company's parking lot there was a company there working on their roof. Despite the fact that it wasn't him I still found it coincidental, since in the three years I've been doing business there no other company has been there doing anything to the premises.

Thank you for taking the time to read my message."

- Amber

More Coincidence and Synchronicity Stories:
Hologram Theory Answers Why We Have Coincidences And Synchronicity
Date On Her Boyfriends Baby Photo Was Her Birthday
The Buddha Coincidence Connection Story

The Birthday Phone Call Coincidence

A coincidence story to day from someone who wishes to remain anonymous. If you have a coincidence and/or synchronicity story you would like published on this blog please use the contact button on 67 Not Out - which is my other blog. Thanks, Mike.

I have a friend from college, we were very close at school in Virginia but she moved to California and I moved to New York where constant communication is extremely difficult, and a three hour time difference didn't help.

For some reason her birthday was always hard for me to remember, I could never remember if it was the 20th, 21st, 22nd, or 23rd of July.

The first year out of school, I forgot it completely and sent flowers the following day to apologize.

This year, (second year out) I again forgot her birthday.

I went on with my day as normal - walked to work, got a coffee, started up the computer.

At about 11am my time, 8am her time, I received a text message from her saying "Thank you for the birthday call, sorry I missed it!"

I had absolutely not called her that morning, I was sure of it. I thought she had to have been mistaken, I almost even responded saying she was, but at least I was reminded of her birthday and I looked like the good guy! Before I did respond though, I looked through my phone just to check and see - so I could know if she responded with "Wrong number" about her last text.

Sure enough my phone had dialed her number while in my bag on my walk to work - 8am our time, 5am her time! I ALWAYS put my phone on lock so that it can't butt dial - but thank God I forgot that morning!

~ Name withheld

More Coincidence & Synchronicity Stories:
Comic Cover Coincidence
She Was Topless In Front Of Her Postman
A Coincidence Thousands Of Miles From Home