I´ve been lucky given all the big conferences I´ve attended over the last 12 years from CTIA, CES, 3GSM and now MWC, with things going pretty smoothly but I think the ying of my conference universe has shifted to the yang. I remember three years ago in Cannes a Danish colleague of mine at the time stopped to have beer before we left town for the airport. Placed his jacket on a barstool. When he got 
to the airport in Nice, he noticed his passport had been pinched from his jacket. His green card was in it, and he ended up having to return to Stolkholm to have the green card re-issued from the country of us citizenship. It took him three weeks to get the card re-issued and able to return to the states.
Snap. One Fried Computer Battery
Late last week while in London, my computer battery died-it no longer is willing to hold a charge. So, the only way I can use my computer is if I have it plugged into a wall electrical outlet. Pretty inconvenient if you want to take notes or blog while in a presentation at the biggest mobile convention known to man. Argh.
Smartphone OS crashes
My smartphone, essentially a small computer with a phone, which runs an operating system just like a desktop, crashed on Sunday. I turned it off to board my flight from London, then couldn´t turn it back on. Did a hard reset, took out the battery, etc. FInally removed the SIM and the data on the phone poped up, but no connectivity with the mobile network. Spent half my day on Monday, missing the mobile payments seminar, looking for a local phone store with SIM unlocked phones. Reviewed the offerings, picked up an LG which I was planning on selling on ebay on my return to minimize my loss, and figured I would try one last time. Miraculously after 4 hours of searching for a network my phone was operational. Pain averted but a lot of time and emotional cycles lost. Avoid the Microsoft Windows for Mobile. At least the phone works for the moment.
LOST: My lifeline
I´m somewhat anal in trying to maximize my experience in these things, be punctual for meetings, get to where I´m going, etc. so I use a small three ring binder which had my briefs for meetings, my schedule and some personal inspirational quotes which keep one slogging through the challenges of life. The quotes have been with me for 16 years. Last night at an InMobile cocktail event, where I was drinking nothing stronger than original coke, I somehow lost the notebook. Major bummer since I have to recreate three days worth of meetings from memory, plus notes from 4 days of a consultancy I just started. Goes to show you that when you´re among thousands of people, moving from meeting to meeting, even the smallest and most important things can be misplaced. Kill me now.
Let´s see how I fare over the next three days. It certainly will crimp my blogging plans.
EPILOGUE
Wait there's more. Click here to learn of my return voyage.
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