Have you experienced a case of mistaken identity, while travelling?

[RooFlyer]

Reading @Mattg 's story about benefiting from being 'confused' with an Australian Olympic skier, here, reminded how I once also benefited from an identity mistake.

I was working for a private investment bank, owned by a very well known 'high flying' banker. He sent me to Sth America to look at stuff, and used his global CEO connections to arrange mine visits for me. While in Chile, his 19 yo son, doing a 'gap year', tagged along with me.

We got a visit to Barrack Gold's El Indio mine, high in the Andes on the border of Argentina. Barrack arranged for us to fly up there from Santiago on a special flight on the company plane and have what turned out to be a 'royal tour' of the complex. In fact the President of Barrick Gold South America (quite a big wig - Barrack Gold at the time was I think the world's biggest gold producer) was there to meet us at the airport in the morning.

I introduced my self, and then James xx_X. The Barrack guy's face instantly puzzled. Remained so until we parted to board the airport. Of course when the trip was arranged, it was for me and 'Mr xx_X' - and the President of Barrack Gold SA thought it was the kid's father!

A great visit, but the scariest flights through the Andes, rough as anything on the way back.

 

[drron]

One of our nieces had a similar experience. She was flying to the USA on Pan Am in Y. She has an unusual spelling of her surname which happened to be the same as the then president of Pan Am.
Staff incorrectly that she was the daughter as he did have a daughter of the same age. So she was upgraded to F and looked after extremely well. They never realised their mistake

 

[k_sheep]

Not with name - I have a very odd surname. But when I was in New Delhi about 3 years ago, an amazing number of people 'recognised' me as one of the Australian women international cricketers. The adoration was insane!

I do NOT at all look like them btw but white chicks all look alike I was pretty fit and lean having just completed lots of trekking (for those who have seen me IRL lately and know I do not resemble a professional athlete with an extra 10kg on!). We had a guide do it at the start of the day and I corrected him and thought he must be rather deficient in the sight senses but then it happened several more times when we were out and about.

About 15 years ago in Malaysia ... can't remember where, I think somewhere in Sarawak, I sent mr k_sheep out to fetch me some sunburn relief from the local apotek (having had an uncharacteristic lobster moment). Whilst there he was wearing a random athletic type t shirt with a clear aussie accent ... someone asked him if he played soccer and he said yes (we have a mixed friday night social group at the local - we are in the wooden spoon league for sure, to the point the wooden spoon trophy was named after our team) and ended up having 10+ people lining up to take selfies with him. He desperately tried to correct it but the enthusiasm was unabated. So there's a bunch of photos out there with them having photos with the legendary Australian soccer star.

Narrator: he did not fetch me the required sunburn relief.

 

[drron]

A few now with me. In 1972 I was working as the doctor at the Sydney Royal Easter show. If it wasn’t busy we could get into the members stand. I was about to sit down when an older man said is that you Ron. He had a Texan accent so I was pretty sure I didn’t know him but with the bravado of a 25 year old I said yes it is. So he invited me to lunch. Turns out he was the American Ambassador. I am not sure if he realised he had made a mistake even though I didn’t speak like a son of an American Senator.

Two more to. come later.