My bottle of Malibu cost NZ$39.50 at Auckland International Airport, compared with US$19.00 at SFO. I think there's a restriction on all carry-on luggage stating no liquids over 100mL can be taken about outbound US planes, so I was advised (quite rudely, actually) by the guy at SFO DFS not to buy it. Oh well... :(

Anyway, I'm back home in Wellington, enjoying the 50km/h winds, using my EFTPOS card, driving on the left side of the road and looking right then left when crossing the road. I just need to sort out my sleeping habits and it'll be like I never left the country.

Work tomorrow.

Photos from Easter and San Francisco are now available.

As history unfolded three days ago as America watched its first African-American President be elected, so too the winds of change have swept over New Zealand as John Key, leader of the National Party, becomes our Prime Minister-elect. Gracious in defeat was Helen Clark, who highlighted the good nine years of Labour government, and announced her resignation as leader.

But I must say.

The changes don't stop there. We are watching the face of New Zealand politics change like never before, as New Zealand First fail to meet the 5% party vote threshold, and both Winston Peters and Ron Mark fail to win their electorate seats, sealing the fate of the party as it no longer has any seats in Parliament.

I can say only one thing.

I was up until 2.30am last night, watching Valarie Vili shotput her way to New Zealand's second gold medal at the Beijing Olympics with a mammoth 20.56m throw. I also watched as the Evers-Swindell twins beat out their competitors by 1/100th of a second to grab New Zealand's first gold of the games. The tension waiting for the final result after the photo finish - just epic.

We also watched Mahe Drysdale, Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater achieve their bronzes, as well as Hayden Roulston's silver medal race. Awesome effort from all four guys.

Congratulations to all our medal winners on day eight at the 2008 Beijing Olympics - you've done the country proud.

And if that wasn't enough, I woke up to the news of the All Blacks owning South Africa 19 - 0 in the rugby - huge congratulations to them as well.

Pretty eventful Sunday as well - piano at church this morning, yum char with Laura and her friends at Grand Century and swimming at the Aquatics Center in Hataitai. Wooooo, physical exercise. Yay me.