Thanks for a nice trip report! Sorry to discover it so late!

I totally agree with you regarding FCO, and all the FCO lounges are pretty much bad.

Sorry to hear that your SQ A380 flight was so bad... there was no excuse for such a slow dinner service on a short six hours flight to SYD.

Sri Lankan is honestly not a bad airline and most of the F/As are kind and helpful. The seats are not fancy, but good enough for short three to fours hours hop. It might be a bit rough for a eight or nine hours flight to NRT or LHR.

Yes some New York taxi drivers are pretty awful (but I also encounter some cool ones too... although things seem to get better last month... maybe slow economy means nicer drivers... )anyway, next time, call for car services... Dial seven (212)777-7777... not bad... they are much better in my personal opinion...

Also a same day JFK to EWR connection is doable, but really not recommended especially if you arrive during morning or late afternoon/evening peak hours...

Thanks again!
Carfield