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Pitter-patter pit stop
As any new parent will attest, one of the worst aspects of travelling with children is lugging the paraphernalia that accompanies them. To alleviate the excess baggage (as well as stress levels), the Mandarin Oriental Macau has come up with the ingenious Baby Pit Stop programme, providing almost all you might need for a weekend away. On arrival, you'll find a cabinet filled with such necessities as toiletries, nappies, wipes and soft toys, all of which can be taken home. Items available to borrow include bottles, bottle warmers and sterilisers, baths, cots, slings and pushchairs. For details, call toll-free on 800 967338 or see www.mandarinoriental.com/macau
Fly for free
Until the end of the month, Air France has a 'Buy One Get One Free' offer on its L'Espace Affaires class to any of 34 cities in France or 57 cities in Europe. For HK$43,000, you will receive two roundtrip business-class tickets, but you must depart before February 29. One Paris stopover inbound or outbound is permitted. Contact Brian (tel: 2366 7830) or Nicole (tel: 2366 7810) at Window Discovery Tours for details.
Cruise to New Zealand
Having soared after the filming of Lord of the Rings, New Zealand tourism is predicted to swell further with the release of The Last Samurai. Starring Tom Cruise and Billy Connolly, the film was shot in the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island, with Mount Taranaki (described by explorer Captain James Cook as 'the noblest hill I have ever seen') standing in for Mount Fuji. The region is New Zealand's premier surf spot, but the adventurous can also try their hand at dam-dropping (dropping eight metres over the edge of a dam on a plastic sled) or waka paddling in a traditional Maori canoe. For more information, visit www.travel.newzealand.com or www.taranakinz.org.
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