SFG
Well done, an interesting and candid account.
The only serious comment I made was that GPS rarely go wrong and it is usually ones own stupid fault if they do - like the antenna falling off.
It does however highlight why a hand held GPS will never be as reliable as a panel mount.
Bits fall off (imagine what can happen in a bit of turbulence), batteries run out, aerials are in the wrong place .. .. .. Plan for all of these things to happen.
We have discussed on this thread the wisdom of channel check outs before.
There be those that argue any half well trained PPL should be able to cross channel - others are more cautious. I have tended towards the second camp.
In spite of your PPL training it is "surprising" how disconcerting flying on instruments can be for the first time, and how common it is cross channel despite a reasonable forecast. It is unnerving the first time, degrades your capacity to deal with other issues, and until you have experienced the leans once you never quite appreciate what it is like.
SFG did well not to let the situation over well him.