At a taxi stand, we had to wait more than five minutes to be connected to a French translator, causing confusion within the row of cab drivers as we passed up getting into several cars.

Also on the stand was Geely's version of the London black cab, the product of a joint venture with Manganese Bronze Holdings, the British company that owns London Taxi International.

I found myself telling my cab driver that all's well that end's well – the delayed flight, the two-hour line at the coach outlet stores LaGuardia taxi stand.