And like that... he is gone
So that's it. RIP Three Years of Hell, June 2, 2003 to August 25, 2006. After all these words, there are only a few things left to say.
Two sites, the Imbroglio and the Volokh Conspiracy, have given me a slightly premature sendoff, and their words are very kind. (The site has received its final Kerr Package.) In answer to Ambimb's question as to why the site is closing, the answer is simply that the project is done. I don't know what my next big task will be. I've got two articles in process (much more difficult now I don't have free Lexis access). There's a few chapters written of a novel, a thought made more exciting by three friends who have already written books. The more I look at law and technology, the more I think that an open-source, XML-based framework for writing judicial opinions would bring caselaw closer to the public (as well as weaken the WEXIS duopoly). Perhaps that's a project worth looking into. Whatever the case, I'm sure I'll have no problem coming up with other tasks to occupy my (soon to dwindle rapidly) free time. This story was always meant to have an ending, and after all these months, it is finally here.
Thank you to the professors and students at Columbia Law School who made this journey such a rich experience. The same goes to the bloggers across the 'sphere who've linked, commented and otherwise spread the word. (A special note should go to Martin, who started me on this path.) My family, although asked not to comment on the blog itself, never failed to give me encouragement (and fodder for quite a few posts) throughout my years here.
And finally, of course, thank you to all of you who've read this site over the last three years and a bit. Journeys are made better with travelling companions, and I couldn't have asked for a finer bunch.
Best regards,
A.R.
Leaving behind the unspoiled countryside of New Zealand we knew things would be different in Australia. But how different, we had no idea. 
Small Splurges: Even when money is tight, don’t give up on those little things that make you happy while traveling. If it’s an afternoon cup of coffee, a scoop of gelato or an ice cold pint at the corner pub that gets you excited, don’t go without. We began our time in Australia forgoing these small things to try to stay on budget and realized without the small pick-me-ups throughout the day we were left feeling bitter and frustrated. Find other ways to cut corners, but don’t sweat the small stuff.
Food on the Cheap: It’s no surprise eating out is the biggest way to bust your budget. In fact in Australia, even mediocre restaurants are charging $20-30 a plate. Cooking in is obviously the way to go, but even grocery shopping can be a budget breaker. Good news: Most cities in Australia have some really great food markets. Here you’ll find really fresh produce (and local food treasures you didn’t even know existed!) for nearly a third of the price you find in grocery stores. Head to the market in the afternoon to get the best prices (prices drop dramatically after the midday rush) or consider hitting up grocery stores for late night specials. After 7 p.m. you’ll see they often drop their prices on meats and produce, too, to get rid of fresh food before the day’s end.
Thanks for the tips, as my husband and I are in the same boat with the prices just as bad 3 years later! And that is with camping too!
Kendra´s last [type] ..South Africa Part 2
Great to hear. Glad you enjoyed the article.
Thanks for the advice! Loved this article!
Yes, I think we’re finally at the point where we have accepted the outrageous prices and can start to fully enjoy our time here. Half of it was the initial shock and frustration.
Greg – Thanks for the reco on Wotif.com. Great site. We heard about it, but just a little bit too far into our time here, which resulted in staying in some seedy places. Better luck next time, I suppose.
During our 30 some odd days in Australia, we heavily relied on http://www.wotif.com. You can book hotels at a fraction of the advertised rate. They cater to all price levels, below the $80 – $120 cited above. Often they are cheaper than hostels.
I had a similar heart-attack experience when I first got to Oz. I was really fortunate that it was about 1.26 Aussie to the $ or I would have had to leave before my 2 months were up. It’s pretty hard to believe it when you’re walking through the stores and see how much everything costs. Good luck guys and great tips – I loved the Peter Pans because they’re everywhere and if there were not a lot of people they would let me stay longer
I just forwarded this to my two Aussie friends here in AZ. They just moved here from Sydney and they’ve been trying to explain the Aussie = pricey way to me. I forwarded them the link to this. Hope you’re having fun despite the expense. Miss you two!!!