Multiple amputee

 If you ever wondered what it would be like as an amputee, try leaving your phone in an Uber in a foreign country, when EVERYTHING you need and use is on that phone.

Including the Uber app, which includes the wonderful feature to contact the driver if you left something behind!! Unless, of course, it’s your phone that you left!!

So that happened.

We got in not long before midnight. By the time I realised, it was well after midnight.

Luckily, we track our phones, so when Sarah checked, my phone was parked up about 5km away, in a residential suburb. The driver had gone home for the night.

Many attempts to log in to my app on another phone failed.

So many limitations: everything now uses multi factor, so needs a phone number or email to confirm. They send a code to the number or email they have on file, to confirm it’s yours.

• Phone number is no good
• First, it’s on that phone, and second it’s turned off while I use eSims overseas.

• The email is no good either
• To log into my email on another device has the same multi factor issues 
• Also, on many overseas based websites and apps, I use Apple’s hide-my-email feature. This allows you to turn off a dummy email when their email becomes junk mail, without having to change your main email address.
• Therefore, I have no idea which email they have for me  

• If all of that wasn’t bad enough, I often use Apple’s difficult password generator, so only my phone knows the unique password for that app.

To recap, I have an idea where my phone is, but have no idea how to contact the driver. 

For accuracy, in Singapore, they use a service called Grab, rather than Uber. Same same  

We tried logging in to the website as a visitor, to let them know what happened. At some point, someone in a cubicle would check for rides going to this address on this night, and contact the driver. Let’s not hold our breath.

In the morning, I try the only option available:

Ring my phone using WhatsApp, which both of our phones have, when the driver will likely be awake. Hope he found it and took it inside with him  

Eventually he answers, sounding sleepy. Result!!

To round off, he arranged for a courier to pick up my phone from him and deliver it to me. Paid on arrival. $13.70

Our driver earned himself a bloody good tip  

Needless to say, some redundancy is required. Maybe a backup phone to take with, logged into all the same apps that are vital. Some thought and planning required