"Come and vacation in Sochi ... please!"

Sochi, Russia - "Olympic Village train station!" I say into the smartphone, which is running my voice through a translation app.

I give the device back to the taxi driver.

He reads the Russian display showing the app's best guess of what I've just said and then scratches his head.

We left the hotel not five minutes ago but already he's lost.

With only hand signals and inaccurate electronic translation, the chance of reaching my destination, just across town, looks slim.

And this is no isolated incident.

More lost taxi drivers

In fact, it's the second time today I've ordered a taxi with a local driver who has little notion how to get around the city he calls home.

Bizarre?

Turns out there's a very good reason for such confusion, and it's not solely due to my inadequate language skills.
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