On our recent cruise, we met quite a few people with whom we shared fewer than six degrees of separation. If you’ve not heard of this theory, it was first suggested in the 1960’s (I know, a very long time ago when some of you weren’t even born). It proposes that we’re all connected in a short link of six or fewer to many if not most other people (putting it very simplistically). Here’s more information on it.

https://hbr.org/2003/02/the-science-behind-six-degrees

Although, looking into it a little deeper, the theory might have first been proposed in 1929 in a short story. Most ideas seem to start out as fiction, especially Science Fiction, which I read too much of. Nothing new under the sun. This article says that Facebook has brought us to three-and-a-half degrees!

https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/six-degrees-of-separation

So, for example, we met a couple of pharmacists. As JD is also a pharmacist you can make a quick link to them, even though they trained at a different place. We met a couple of people who live less than 20 miles from us and know people JD used to work with. We met two people who have friends or family on this year’s Clipper Race (you can NEVER get away from that).

BUT, the shortest link this time was with Pat and Steve, our new best buddies. JD was sitting next to Pat one lunchtime and somehow discovered that not only had she done the same degree as me (biochemistry) at the same University (Surrey), but we were only two years apart! As it was a four year course, with the third year spent working in industry, I’m not sure we ever met up at the time. I’d have been in my final year when Pat was in her second, so we might have. We spent most of the rest of the cruise trying to remember our Professors and tutors: not easy when it was almost 50 years ago.