[dageshi]

That just sounds like terrible luck to be honest.

Catching a cab from the airport in a new country after a flight is a pretty common thing to do no matter where you're going. Depending on flight length you might well be too tired to really navigate public transport in a new city in a foreign language.

There's not a lot to learn from that.

[fortran77]

In certain countries I will always ask the hotel to get a ride for me from the airport, and I will not hail a random cab.

[ghaff]

Certain countries? Maybe. I have ordered a hotel limo in Bangkok but certainly not the norm and probably a bit extravagant.