Why Google's 2-step verification sucks

Recently I have started using Chrome as primary browser (and I’m happy so far). Because of that I’ve needed to log into my Google account to be able to use Reader and other Google apps. I’ve typed my login and password, but as I’m using 2-step verification I was asked to input a code I should’ve received by sms message. I was trying to log on August 30th somewhere around the noon and was waiting for code to arrive for a good while, then finally gave up and used Printable backup codes (good that I was already authorized on Firefox as I’ve lost this printout). After a while I’ve started receiving Google codes (I’ve tried to repeat login procedure few times). First code arrived on August 31st 1 PM my time (Prague), last one today few minutes ago:) Wow! And what if I would really need to access my Google account as a matter of emergency and wasn’t logged on other machine/browser and lost my Printable backup codes? I would be literally fucked. 2-step verification in login procedure is great for the security, but it must work fast to be useful. Maybe it’s only problem with Europe and Americans got their smses on time, or maybe it’s only my phone/network (T-Mobile). I don’t know, but I’m pretty annoyed.