I WAS suffering from a stomach bug the first time I travelled to Niagara Falls in Canada, at the tender age of 14.

The only spectacular waterfall I witnessed came from the flushing of the many WCs my dad had to rush me to.

So I was determined to get the best out of the experience when we returned to the falls during a holiday earlier this month. And thus we ventured on the famous Maid of the Mist boat which takes you almost directly under the rapids.

But as showers of water poured over me, I discovered the best and worst features of modern technology.

In years gone by, we would have had to lug a camera plus a video recorder onto the boat.

Any pictures would have had to be developed at great expense in a lab and we probably would not have seen them for days.

In 2011, however, all you need is a mobile phone which fits easily into your pocket.

I took masses of film and one excellent video which I was able to load on to my laptop that same day. And I could have even sent them home instantly to readers in Bucks if I felt anyone was interested.

But there was a downside. The cost of using the actual telephone feature of the phone is extremely hefty when ‘roaming’ abroad in north America. As a result, I tried to avoid using it, and kept calls down to a quick conversation with a cousin in Montreal to arrange a lift.

However, the trouble with mobile phones is that it’s so easy to inadvertently call someone by just knocking the dial button after placing the device in your pocket.

The phone then rings the last contact you dialled.

I have often unknowingly called friends and colleagues in this way. It’s highly embarrassing because they answer and just hear either background noise, or you having a personal conversation about something they shouldn’t hear.

This has made me paranoid and I’m now scrupulous about locking the phone.

Sadly, this was much more difficult on the Maid of the Mist as Mother Nature unleashed furious cascades of water upon us.

I took out my phone several times to try to take spectacular photos, but it was hard to hold on to it while I was rocking around at the front of the boat.

The handset was in danger of becoming soaked so I had to slam it back into my pocket.

The result? That evening I received an email from my cousin in Montreal who asked why I had made multiple calls to her at around noon. When she answered these, all she could hear was background talking and the shuffling of feet.

This scuppered my plan to save cash and when I returned to the UK, I found myself owing £15 extra for calls made in Canada, the majority of which were unintended.

Not a King’s Ransom, but unfair I thought, so I complained to 02 my phone provider, who politely told me there was nothing they could do.

Next time, I’ve pledged to buy a phone that doesn’t dial the last call at just one accidental press of a button.

But until then, I’ve vowed not to bitch about anyone in case they are listening in on the other end of my phone.

There’s an old piece of advice: don’t say anything about anyone behind their backs that you wouldn’t be prepared to say to their face.

And I will keep true to this – at least until I change my mobile telephone.