Resupply is pretty easy in the North Island. A bit harder in the South Island. I didn't bounce-box at all in the North, but did in the South (after the Richmond Ranges at St Arnaud, and the other place I think was Arthur's Pass).
Hey Jandal! What items did you send ahead in your bounce box? Most hikers need to send resupply boxes ahead to St Arnaud, Arthurs Pass and Boyle (for those not hitching to Hanmer) but interested to hear what items you decided to bounce along the trail :)
Very helpful video Michelle, thank you. I moved to Wellington last winter and I could still learn so much of it, especially in how to organise the resupplies. I will start SOBO in mid November and planning on doing a Thru, so maybe I'll see you on the trail
That's awesome to hear! I'm so excited for you! I would encourage you to also check out the blog post I wrote which went along with this. But if you need more advice on where to send boxes etc, feel free to reach out and I'm happy to chat with you some more :)
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT** I will be hosting a LIVE Q&A here on this channel on Friday 29 May 2020 at 7:00PM (my video on that day will be going live a little earlier so you can all watch beforehand). To make sure you don't miss it, make sure you're subscribed to this channel and have clicked the notification bell, and follow me on Instagram (where I'll post a story with all the details for how to connect before the Q&A starts). Hope to see you all there!!
Hi Michelle, great video, extremely helpful and so well done. We had to postpone due to covid but planning again for later this year. I'm really interested in the dehydrated meals you made for yourself and the small composting bags.
I was wondering if you'd managed to get out there still with everything that was going on! Maybe we'll end up meeting on the trail after all! If you want to join in on the live Q&A later this month (details pinned to top of comments section) I will cover the meals I made and the composting bags in that session. Otherwise you can subscribe to my blog updates at www.longwhitegypsy.com, as I'll be uploading posts about these in the next few weeks (hopefully!). Hope you're otherwise well and safe :D
You're so welcome! I'm glad you've found value in it. If you're interested I will be hosting a Q&A session before the end of this month, so if there's anything else you'd like to know, please send me a message or another comment :D
Excellent korero Michelle, and I especially liked the part regarding box etiquette. For your dehydrated meals did you have to use special bags, withdraw excess air etc to prevent spoiling?
For my North Island trip I just used compostable zip lock bags and my food kept well for months. But I hadn't dehydrated any meat myself for that trip. For the south island, because I'd dehydrated my own meat, I vacuum sealed all my meals using a dealer I bought at Briscoes. Some people recommend using mylar bags, I just made do with the norma sealer bags that came with the unit. Worked a treat! I was still eating them a year later.
@@LongWhiteGypsy Prep is mostly on hold due to COVID uncertainty... but glad to hear NZ infection numbers are low and lockdown is being eased. Probably not a bad idea to factor in 2 or so weeks of potential quarantine prior to starting TA as a foreigner.
This was very helpful, thanks! I have only one question; If you want to send resupply boxes to St Arnaud and Arthurs Pass, do you need to send them both from Picton?
Hi Per! Long time no speak! Hope you're doing well... got any big plans coming up anytime soon? Yes, absolutely I share the spreadsheet with people. My apologies, I thought I had shared it in the video description, but actually it's tucked away in the blog post that goes along with the video (so I've updated it now)! docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ErABq-sI-1sEuh5C4JH0hd5gTX4tBKNsKbVXxUY72fg/edit#gid=0 Let me know if you have any issues accessing it!
@@LongWhiteGypsy Hi Michelle! Thanks for your message and spreadsheet! I'm still dreaming of walk TA one way or another. I have now postponed this trip two times due to covid, so if its not possible to go next October there will probably be no trip to NZ. Your videos have been to a great help to prepare for this trip. The devil is in the details and you have mentioned a lot of details. Just one question: Do I get all the information I need - warnings, trail changes from one source on the internet/ app or do I have to search different places... Thanks again and have a nice Sunday
If you don't have any specific dietary requirements, I'd recommend you resupply as you go. This will be the best way of you getting an idea of what kind of food options are available in NZ (by browsing supermarkets etc. along the way) and will allow you to change things as you go if you don't like something. If you have specific dietary requirements, then you will struggle here in NZ. There are not many pre-packaged gluten free, dairy free, vegan options that you can buy cheaply and regularly on the trail. There are a few trail angels along the way which cater to special diets, but they are few and far between. In addition, smaller dairies and supermarkets will not usually carry special dietary options, and if you find one that does, often they will be at least half as much again (or even double) the cost of the supermarket version of the same item. You can buy pre-packaged dehydrated gluten free meals from outdoor stores and in some supermarkets. These are the backcountry cuisine meals, but will set you back roughly $12 to $16 per packet. If you need any more information on this, please let me know.
Yes I did. I chose to do this because I was following a very rigid gluten free diet due to my Graves Disease thyroid condition, and I knew that I wouldn't have the options I needed at some of the smaller dairies and corner stores along the way that other hikers would be able to resupply at. I found this process very easy and (mostly) reliable, although it was a lot of work beforehand getting everything ready. I have a more in-depth article on my website about my food and resupply strategy if you want to find out more about why I made this choice, and what goes into planning a full resupply on a thru hike: longwhitegypsy.com/2020/05/15/te-araroa-food-and-resupply/
Interesting to see your version of this video! I’m thinking of posting one too soon 👱♀️😌🦋
Great, will be nice to see what your take on it is!
Resupply is pretty easy in the North Island. A bit harder in the South Island. I didn't bounce-box at all in the North, but did in the South (after the Richmond Ranges at St Arnaud, and the other place I think was Arthur's Pass).
Hey Jandal! What items did you send ahead in your bounce box? Most hikers need to send resupply boxes ahead to St Arnaud, Arthurs Pass and Boyle (for those not hitching to Hanmer) but interested to hear what items you decided to bounce along the trail :)
So glad to find your channel. Informative stuff. And really appreciate your placename pronunciation.
Welcome! And Thanks for the kind comments Te Aroha, I try my very best :)
Very helpful video Michelle, thank you. I moved to Wellington last winter and I could still learn so much of it, especially in how to organise the resupplies. I will start SOBO in mid November and planning on doing a Thru, so maybe I'll see you on the trail
That's awesome to hear! I'm so excited for you! I would encourage you to also check out the blog post I wrote which went along with this. But if you need more advice on where to send boxes etc, feel free to reach out and I'm happy to chat with you some more :)
@@LongWhiteGypsy thank you! Will eventually come back to this once I'm closer to planning those :)
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT** I will be hosting a LIVE Q&A here on this channel on Friday 29 May 2020 at 7:00PM (my video on that day will be going live a little earlier so you can all watch beforehand). To make sure you don't miss it, make sure you're subscribed to this channel and have clicked the notification bell, and follow me on Instagram (where I'll post a story with all the details for how to connect before the Q&A starts). Hope to see you all there!!
Thanks for the Q&A everyone, see you on the next one!
Hi Michelle, great video, extremely helpful and so well done. We had to postpone due to covid but planning again for later this year. I'm really interested in the dehydrated meals you made for yourself and the small composting bags.
I was wondering if you'd managed to get out there still with everything that was going on! Maybe we'll end up meeting on the trail after all! If you want to join in on the live Q&A later this month (details pinned to top of comments section) I will cover the meals I made and the composting bags in that session. Otherwise you can subscribe to my blog updates at www.longwhitegypsy.com, as I'll be uploading posts about these in the next few weeks (hopefully!). Hope you're otherwise well and safe :D
Great informational video
Thank you! This info is gold!
You're so welcome! I'm glad you've found value in it. If you're interested I will be hosting a Q&A session before the end of this month, so if there's anything else you'd like to know, please send me a message or another comment :D
Love to see what kind of food you made for dehydration...
Nikki Bull I will be writing a blog article about this in the next few weeks and following up with a video. Thanks for the comment!
Excellent korero Michelle, and I especially liked the part regarding box etiquette.
For your dehydrated meals did you have to use special bags, withdraw excess air etc to prevent spoiling?
For my North Island trip I just used compostable zip lock bags and my food kept well for months. But I hadn't dehydrated any meat myself for that trip. For the south island, because I'd dehydrated my own meat, I vacuum sealed all my meals using a dealer I bought at Briscoes. Some people recommend using mylar bags, I just made do with the norma sealer bags that came with the unit. Worked a treat! I was still eating them a year later.
great video, thanks!!!
You're welcome!
Great video. Thanks
Thanks a ton for this very helpful info!
Glad it was helpful! Hope your preparations are going well :)
@@LongWhiteGypsy Prep is mostly on hold due to COVID uncertainty... but glad to hear NZ infection numbers are low and lockdown is being eased.
Probably not a bad idea to factor in 2 or so weeks of potential quarantine prior to starting TA as a foreigner.
This was very helpful, thanks! I have only one question; If you want to send resupply boxes to St Arnaud and Arthurs Pass, do you need to send them both from Picton?
Hi and thank's for a great video. Do you sell or give away your excel sheet? It seems pretty helpful.
Hi Per! Long time no speak! Hope you're doing well... got any big plans coming up anytime soon? Yes, absolutely I share the spreadsheet with people. My apologies, I thought I had shared it in the video description, but actually it's tucked away in the blog post that goes along with the video (so I've updated it now)!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ErABq-sI-1sEuh5C4JH0hd5gTX4tBKNsKbVXxUY72fg/edit#gid=0
Let me know if you have any issues accessing it!
@@LongWhiteGypsy Hi Michelle! Thanks for your message and spreadsheet! I'm still dreaming of walk TA one way or another. I have now postponed this trip two times due to covid, so if its not possible to go next October there will probably be no trip to NZ. Your videos have been to a great help to prepare for this trip. The devil is in the details and you have mentioned a lot of details. Just one question: Do I get all the information I need - warnings, trail changes from one source on the internet/ app or do I have to search different places... Thanks again and have a nice Sunday
What do you recommend for someone who lives overseas?
If you don't have any specific dietary requirements, I'd recommend you resupply as you go. This will be the best way of you getting an idea of what kind of food options are available in NZ (by browsing supermarkets etc. along the way) and will allow you to change things as you go if you don't like something.
If you have specific dietary requirements, then you will struggle here in NZ. There are not many pre-packaged gluten free, dairy free, vegan options that you can buy cheaply and regularly on the trail. There are a few trail angels along the way which cater to special diets, but they are few and far between. In addition, smaller dairies and supermarkets will not usually carry special dietary options, and if you find one that does, often they will be at least half as much again (or even double) the cost of the supermarket version of the same item.
You can buy pre-packaged dehydrated gluten free meals from outdoor stores and in some supermarkets. These are the backcountry cuisine meals, but will set you back roughly $12 to $16 per packet. If you need any more information on this, please let me know.
Thank u
did you post all your food to yourself the whole way ?
Yes I did. I chose to do this because I was following a very rigid gluten free diet due to my Graves Disease thyroid condition, and I knew that I wouldn't have the options I needed at some of the smaller dairies and corner stores along the way that other hikers would be able to resupply at. I found this process very easy and (mostly) reliable, although it was a lot of work beforehand getting everything ready.
I have a more in-depth article on my website about my food and resupply strategy if you want to find out more about why I made this choice, and what goes into planning a full resupply on a thru hike: longwhitegypsy.com/2020/05/15/te-araroa-food-and-resupply/
I'm curious Michelle, you said you had been in NZ for just under 20 years, I'm wondering where you were born? :)