What NOT to Do: How I Lost My Phone in Tortola

We were coming back from Cane Garden Bay (so beautiful!) and I set my phone down on the bench at the shuttle stop, in order to get my ID out of my bag as we were making our way to the cruise terminal. In the commotion of getting off the bus and managing a toddler, somehow I left my phone on the bench.

We get back on the ship, go back to the stateroom, and I go through my bag and can't find my phone. I start LOSING it. Not because I lost my phone, but because of everything the phone represents. The ship activity schedule, my boarding pass for the flight home, how I was going to get an uber ride from the airport, etc. We are lost without our devices. It also meant losing touch with my community, my village of mom friends, not to mention my photos. Priceless photos that hadn't been backed up yet.

I immediately realize where I left it, I know I had it on the shuttle because I was taking pictures of my sweet toddler and the gorgeous views. I left my son with my dad and ran as fast as I could off the ship back to the bus stop; spoiler alert my phone was not on the bench where I thought I left it. I'm frantically looking around, asking bus drivers if they saw a phone. I befriended a man who worked security on the island, he was asking around, helping me look for it. He assured me that this has happened before, and people don't bother to steal phones because they can't actually use them. It would eventually show up at a help desk, security office, etc.

Well as luck would have it, the Fantasy was the only ship in port that day, and a fellow passenger found my phone and assumed it belonged to someone else on the ship. They brought it to guest services, and while I was running around Tortola (this is also when my period decided to start so blood was leaking onto my shorts LOL), my sweet father had the idea to go to guest services. You had to be able to identify the phone without seeing it first, which luckily my sister knew what my phone case looks like (light pink with boobs LOL). Side note: In addition to travel planning, my full time job is in maternal and infant public health research, plus my other side hustle as a postpartum doula + holistic sleep specialist, lactation is a HUGE passion of mine so naturally a boob phone case makes sense. Also it's compostable, which I am also very passionate about. Check out Pela cases here.

Anyway, back to the story. My sister gets the phone, and then in a movie scene-like fashion, my dad says "go get our girl" and my sister leaves the ship to go find me. At that point I was close to giving up, surrendering to the fact that I lost the phone and the ship would leave the dock soon, so I was on my way back to the boat when I saw my sister. She waved to me with her arm up high, phone in hand. I immediately dropped to the ground and sobbed. Tidal waves of emotional release, the relief and stress melting away. This sounds so dramatic but it's true. She gives me a hug, hands me my phone and I immediately scroll through the pictures I had just taken of my son, the sweetest, most beautiful boy who is growing up way too fast.

So here's what NOT to do: do not put your phone down anywhere. It's either in your hand (accessing tickets, taking pictures, etc) OR in your bag. Consider purchasing one of those pouches that you keep around your neck the whole time or have a small belt bag separate from your beach bag/backpack. I actually didn't need my phone for anything other than photographs, so I could have left it in the cabin and used a camera instead (linking both regular, waterproof, and child options), which could also get lost but at least it's not tied to so many other functions. We didn't have cell service in Tortola, but if you're traveling with some sort of international plan and have access to texting, email, etc I highly recommend trying to unplug while you're out exploring and catch up on messages when you're back at the hotel. Not only will this reduce the likelihood of your phone getting lost or stolen, it also helps you be present and truly enjoy your trip.

For more on Tortola and the Eastern Caribbean itinerary, you can find that post here and if you're ready to plan your dream vacation I'm happy to help!