I don't really care for a telephone either.
Big providers are more and more tailoring to the lowest common denominator (people who can't manage passwords, get malware...) and pushing for mobile authentication. So if you're someone who can manage passwords and is willing to accept responsibility, you get annoyed at best and locked out of your account at worst.
The "trick" is to never change your laptop/desktop and phone at once so you can always verify the other. At best, if you travel, have a old computer somewhere that someone else can access to verify when needed.
Its not perfect, and i still have bad dreams about loosing access and no googler ever going to help me. But on the other side when someone accesses my account somehow, i know nothing happens and they get locked out.
I move country and change internet regularly, and i am glad this is not a reason to lock my account like with many providers who have less advanced tactics.