While on a 10-day international vacation, I dropped my phone into the ocean.Losing access to my device was inconvenient and stressful. Ideally, unplugging would be planned.I'll take steps to plan better for future trips in case I lose my phone again."I haven't heard from Brittany in a couple of days." My best friend, Jasmine, frantically reached out to my sister, Ashlie, after trying and failing to get a response from me every way she knew how, from Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), and even email after my location hadn't updated from the Atlantic Ocean for days while I was on vacation.Here's how the nightmare started: After days of ritzy beach clubs and soaking up the vibrant warmth and wealth of culture in Cannes, the perfect boat day on my 10-day South of France itinerary had finally arrived.Our group of five settled onto the bow of our chartered yacht, seated with Champagne and snacks off to explore the fabulous French Riviera. Yet, we were met with choppy waters minutes after leaving the dock. Immediate unease seized us all as waves crashed onto the boat, followed seconds later by the captain pounding on the glass, urging us to return to the back of the boat. We scrambled to the back one by one, the walkway slippery as the boat rocked.As the waves became more fervent, I reached out to hold the railing and watched as my phone hit the water in the sudden upheaval and immediately disappeared into the depths. The author had to borrow her friends' phones to take photos. Courtesy of Brittany Vickers I had to figure out what to do while far from home without my phoneFor a moment, I stood frozen, eyes glued to the spot where the phone had vanished, thinking, "This did not just happen!" Then, I quickly snapped to reality as the intense waves continued to thrash our boat.Recounting the details of the now-long-gone phone initially dampened the mood, but as the storm passed, so did the worry. Surrounded by massive yachts, crystal blue waters, and bright sunshine, the energy returned to the boat, and our crew continued on.For many, that moment would have been the perfect excuse to free themselves from the chains of the device that traps most of us from the moment we rise to the second we close our eyes in a never-ending cycle.But losing my phone in the middle of a 10-day trip plunged my dream vacation into chaos. It made me rethink phone safety and the steps I wish I had taken before boarding the flight to Nice to minimize travel disruption. The author's friends were happy to let her use their phone to contact people back home. Courtesy of Brittany Vickers Two-factor authentication made things trickyI was able to use my friend's phones to contact my family, but I still lost access to a number of essential contact points. I organized the trip, so it was especially inconvenient, as I was now unable to use my phone to connect with Airbnb hosts for check-in; I had no access to WhatsApp or to my Gmail account to confirm reservations.In the age of two-factor authentication, logging into your account from a new device, even a friend's phone, is nearly impossible without having a way to verify your identity through a second trusted device. Multiple times, I received messages like, "A code will be sent to your phone to verify your identity," which immediately shut me out of various apps. Traveling with a trusted second device, ranging from an iPad, smartwatch, or laptop, would have ensured I was able to regain access to those critical applications.Additionally, as the content creator of the group, I lost the ability to capture key moments to later repackage for social media and a growing travel blog. I can't tell you how many times I had to ask a friend, "Can I use your phone for a photo?" While everyone was very gracious, I couldn't help but feel like a burden. The author didn't plan to digitally unplug while on her trip, so she didn't find being without her phone relaxing. Courtesy of Brittany Vickers It wasn't relaxing to 'unplug' because I didn't plan for itReturning home and recounting the story, the immediate reaction was always, "Well, wasn't it nice not to be glued to your phone and unplug during the trip?"Honestly? No.We've romanticized the idea of unplugging, but when it happens unexpectedly, you lose access to many of the conveniences a phone provides, including the ability to make calls, take photos, or use a search engine, maps, and so much more.Unplugging is a choice that, ideally, you want to plan for so that if anything goes awry, you still have access to your device. For me, losing my phone meant losing access and autonomy and the loss of income through content creation. While it wasn't the end of the world, it was a wake-up call to always be prepared for the unthinkable.