New Zealand has an excellent Kindergarten system for 2- to 5-year-olds. Traditionally many kindergartens have offered limited morning or afternoon hours but this seems to be changing to meet the demands of working parents who need longer hours. Children can enrol from two years of age but then may go on a waiting list. Children can attend kindergarten until they go to school at five. Under-fives don't have to attend any sort of care of course until primary school at 5, but that's not an option for most working families! Kindergarten has traditionally played an important social roles for parents as well, with community activities and fundraising efforts bringing local mums together.

Bikes are the most convenient companions to explore the city and to get easily from A to B, especially if you want to avoid traffic conjestions which are all-too common...unfortunately. You can buy second hand bikes at reasonable prices on weekend markets or rent a bike in one of the many bike rental shops. Visit http://www. fahrradstation.com/ or http://www. nextbike.de/ Also watch out for the red/silver DB-bikes (bikes sponsored from the German Railway company). You'll find them everywhere in the city. All you need is a telephone and a vacant "Call Bike". If the bike's lock blinks green, it is available. Call the phone number on the bike and you're given a 4-digit code, with which you can open...

I must say Guangzhou has the best bus network -- probably not completely fair to say among the world, but surely a winner compared to Sydney! Buses come very frequently in about every 15 minutes, with signs at all the stops and on the buses indicating every stop they will pass by, where they come from and where they are going to. Can't read the words for some reason? Just listen! Broadcast on the buses for every stop, with Cantonese, Mandarin, and, in some updated buses, English! What's more, it costs only about $1-$2RMB (about $0.15-$0.30 AUD)for the whole trip, not depending on the distance but as far as you wish to go, same price!! In one word, the complete opposite...

Shop with great kites. The shop assistants know the best places where to fly them. Fly High, Mariahilferstr. 77 http://www.fly-high.at/

On the second Friday, Saturday and Sunday in July, the Oregon Country Fair takes place just outside of Eugene, Oregon, in the small town of Veneta. It started as a countercultural festival in 1969 and has expanded ever since, featuring music, food, crafts, vaudeville acts and educational exhibits. There is something for all age groups at the Fair, and regardless of age it is the spirit of playfulness and magic that is celebrated here. Admission prices are unbelievably low and the setting in rural western Oregon is as good as it gets. For more information, take a look at the Fair’s website: http://www.oregoncountryfair.org/

You guessed it. It's not Aussie at all. Kinokuniya is a bookstore imported from Japan. Located at level 2 of The Galeries Victoria on George Street, the bookstore offers a large range of books in different languages, e.g. English, Japanese, Chinese, French and German. They are very well known, especially for their great variety of art and design books, Chinese and Japanese comic books as well as their cute and fancy stationery. There is also an in-store art gallery and a cafe to complete the artistic atmosphere. After spending half a day in the bookstore, I also like to have a Japanese ramen at the ramen shop Ichiban Boshi, which is just outside Kinokuniya.

HIRAMATSU, 52, rue de Longchamp, 75116 Paris France E-MAIL: paris@hiramatsu.co.jp TEL: 01 56 81 08 80 FAX: 01 56 81 08 81 Lunch 12:30-13:30 Dinner 19:30-21:30 Closed on Saturdays and Sundays http://www.hiramatsu.co.jp/fr/