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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Chiara Fiorillo & Emma Dunn

Woman lives in remote community with no street signs and travels 10 hours to buy food

A woman lives in a place that is so remote she has to embark on a 10-hour round trip to do her food shopping every six to eight weeks.

Hilary Messer-Barrow, 33, had always been a city girl living in Vancouver, Canada, until she had to move to the remote northern community of Yukon for her husband's job.

She was initially "gutted" by the extreme lifestyle change but has now fallen in love with her new home - and says she never wants to go back to the city.

Her lifestyle, however, requires a lot of planning, as the woman and her husband James need to ensure they have enough food to last for about two months every time they go to the supermarket.

The couple make a long shopping list to ensure they have enough food to last for almost two months (Hilary Messer-Barrow / SWNS)
She says she enjoys cooking and has learnt a lot (Hilary Messer-Barrow / SWNS)

Their home is located in a little community of around 100 people, there are no street names and the village has a gas station that has only a couple of provisions.

The nearest grocery shop, hardware stores, vets, dentists, hair salons, and hospital are in Whitehorse, a five-hour drive away - but the community has a health centre with one nurse.

Hilary, a teaching assistant - who is married to James, 28 - from Beaver Creek, Yukon, Canada, said: "I had been used to walking to the shops and living the city girl life.

"I was very apprehensive, but I fell in love with the landscape as soon as I saw it. I realised then that this was going to be an amazing adventure.

"The community had helped me realise how amazing nature is. I now hope I never have to move back to a city."

Hilary and her husband carefully plan their meals (Hilary Messer-Barrow / SWNS)
Hilary said people from the community help each other when needed (Hilary Messer-Barrow / SWNS)

Hilary was shocked when James, who works for the federal government, told her they had to relocate to Yukon in January 2019.

"We had to get lots of warm clothes to prepare for the potential minus 47 temperatures in the winter," she said.

"I thought it would be so lonely. But it has ended up being the best thing."

Hilary and James had to adjust to the short days and had to learn to cook and make the most of their shopping trips.

In the winter they only get four hours of daylight - and it takes Hilary and her husband two days to complete the trip to the supermarket.

The woman had always been a city girl before moving to the remote community (Hilary Messer-Barrow / SWNS)
Hilary and her dog Chilli (Hilary Messer-Barrow / SWNS)

When it's cold, the couple book a hotel for the night due to the long journey, while in summer they sometimes camp for a more "cost-effective approach".

"The supermarket is 285 miles away and takes us five hours to get there," she explained.

"We go every six to eight weeks and I keep a record of everything we needed."

Writing for Insider, Hilary said: "Our truck is also packed with a well-stocked emergency kit, and we always have our satellite communicator for sending any necessary messages since we have no cell service for much of the trip.

"Our dog, Chill, comes with us so we also pack his food, bed, and leash."

Hilary and her husband James moved to remote Yukon in January 2019 (Hilary Messer-Barrow / SWNS)

She added: "In winter, we need to be extra careful about properly packing our vegetables. If we don't, they can freeze and become basically inedible. In summer, we keep our dairy, meat, and frozen items carefully packed in coolers so they don't spoil."

The woman said that even though the drive is long, every single minute is "spectacular" as they can enjoy natural landscapes to the fullest.

In summer, the couple have a vegetable patch where they grow their own fresh fruit and vegetables.

She said: "I had never really cooked before but now I make everything.

"At first cravings were hard as I couldn't fulfill them but now, I anticipate them.

She has to travel 10 hours to do her food shop every six to eight weeks (Hilary Messer-Barrow / SWNS)
She loves to spend time outdoors (Hilary Messer-Barrow / SWNS)

"I spend as much of my day outside. I do a lot of cross-country skiing and walking my dog. There isn't a day when I'm not outside."

The couple even eloped and married in a remote location with a cabin and their dog, Chilli, a Labrador Retriever cross with a Blue Heeler.

"I would never have thought how good this would be," Hilary said.

"It's made me confront my anxieties and learn so much about myself.

"I have such a deep connection with the beautiful landscape around me."

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