The frustrations of losing a cellphone!

I spent last Saturday in Cape Town at a text book workshop - and when I left, I left my Blackberry on the table.  The co-ordinator discovered it before I'd even left Cape Town - but as she had my phone, she couldn't call me.  And once I discovered it was missing, I couldn't call her, as she had the phone!  And her number was in the phone so I couldn't even call her when I got home.

Losing the phone would have been frustrating, although not really heartbreaking as I have learned to save all my numbers to my Sim card so when I lose it, I can retrieve the numbers - this has happened to me before.

But the huge frustration was in trying to get it back.

Firstly, I had to find a Courier company that will work wih an individual who doesn't have an account with them and who will do a door to door collection and delivery.  Finally found one and phoned the local branch.  No, they said, you need to call the 086 number to arrange it.  I duly did this - and was told by the woman at the other end of the phone that I needed to go to the local depot so they could give me a quote and I could pay for it.  I drove across town to the depot - only to be told by a very rude young man that he had TOLD me to phone the 086 number and there was nothing he could do.  He walked out of the room - but by then I was mad and called him back.  He shrugged at me which made me madder, and implied that I was lying.  Like I would bother to drive to the depot when I could do the transaction on the phone.

Finally I got him to call the 086 number and when he was still rude, i insisted on talking to the Customer care person in Jo'burg.  he at least was fairly polite and apologised for the mistake his colleague had made on the phone.  So he sent me a quote and said as soon as I had posted proof of payment, he would get someone to fetch the phone.

Quote duly arrived and I sat down at the computer to do an electronic fund transfer.  Double frustration - I can only do a one-off payment if i have a code which is sent to - surprise! Surprise! - my cell phone.  Which is in Cape Town - and I'm trying to pay for it to be sent back to me.

I searched all over the log in page - there is nowhere to make a change to the phone number.  So I phoned Nedbank - after listening to a couple of minutes of "If you want **, press 1..." and listening to muzak, I finally got through to a consultant.  "No, there is nothing that can be done.  If you want to change the phone number, you must come in to the branch and then it will take 2 days."

Before I broke the computer screen by throwing the phone at it, Pete came home and saved my bacon by doing the transaction from HIS bank account at another bank.  I sent the proof of payment every way I could - text, e-mail, fax - and at least I got an acknowledgement that it has arrived.

The quote says my phone will be here on Wednesday - I can't wait.  next time I go to a meeting I am going to chain it round my neck.