Deja vu

Ever had that strange feeling that you've been here, done this before (entirely unrelated to "deja moo" - the feeling that you've heard this bull before)?

It happened twice while I was in Australia, and each time it does it still freaks me out a bit.

You see, the week before we left I dreamt we were in Sydney. Somehow we crossed the harbour and headed up a side road that was lined with red face-brick homes and had an old-style white car parked at the side of the road, facing away from us.

When we took the train into Sydney for the day once we'd arrived, I happened to glance up a side road we passed - and saw the EXACT same road and car that I'd dreamt about. Same trees, same slope to the road, everything!

The second time it happened was while we were heading for Kingscliff. It was nearing sunset and we were somewhere near Bounty Bay. As we came around a bend at the base of a small hill, I knew exactly which cars would be headed our way and what the view around the corner would look like. You see, I'd dreamt it 2 months back - same lighting, same scenery, the works!

It's not the first time it's happened, but it's been a while since it has. Years back we were travelling as a family somewhere in South Africa, and almost missed our exit on a highway. I saw the same scene play out that I'd dreamt - stopping at the side of the road under the exit sign, reversing and turning off. I could predict in my head what would happen next, and it did. Gave me goosebumps.

And many years ago in Zimbabwe as we headed out from Harare toward a place we'd never been to before, I recognized a strangely-shaped hill, the bushveld covered in that season's colours, the road that went a ways then turned... yup, dreamt it a few weeks previously.

Now I know some say that this sense of deja vu is really your brain's wiring making random, incorrect connections - you THINK you're remembering something, when you're really just experiencing it for the first time.

But I know differently. My dreams are well-remembered and immediately recognized when they occur.

I guess some things may not have a logical explaination after all.