OOC

I could work with that. Furthermore, I'm someone who likes to roleplay everything, but I also have significantly more IRL than PbP experience. I realize it's a different environment, so would it be easier to summarize large chunks of discussion like Tasrek and I just did in-game? Or play out the whole discussion (like when Shara asked to see the map)?

I'm not sure if something like this was already established earlier.

First of all I would like to point out that Sara were there when Syndra presented the map to everyone, was she not?

Now as for PBP IC conversations. I will add my opinion as player below, but there is my desire for this particular game as DM.

I am am cool with players posting their chunks of small-talks, weather conversations and discussing which inn has a better choice of dishes, etc. I NPCs will answer if I have to to.
Nevertheless, for this particular game (ToA) this is cool only As long as you are able to once a day RL post action(s) your PC are doing to proceed with the story. At the moment in the game for example I need you to decide what your PCs do the second par of the day.
They will waste half a day if you can't post your actions with next 8 hours. Or let me know if you really need mo to delay story from moving forward, I could put it on pause for you.

Grab Salt and Pepper for free.
But please check your carry capacity including all your current equipment, including arrows and money. I've removed the need to carry food for you, but anything else you will need to carry.
P.S. I will not even ask how do you plan to carry a Barrel, which is funny, but as long as you it's wight 70 lb in sum with other items do not go over your PC carry capacity

As for carry - you will not be able to use any PHB vehicles in jungles but I am ok if you want any of the animals able to carry

They will solve carry capacity problems, but will not affect travel speed. Speed noted in the table I will only take into account if an encounter occure and animal want to run away fro example

Maybe poll could help?
I've added names and numbers to guides and add list of your current quests for your connivence. I do not want to rople-play any purchasing you could get anything from PHB at the price. I would like to understand if you lunch your expedition today or postpone till tomorrow and which direction do you go and NPCs will you take with you. Let's do a poll

I was saying rain catcher at the beginning because it was lighter, cost less and foldable to make it easy to carry. I was thinking the donkey as it is a cheap way to carry this chest that comes with the diplomats kit. Not sure if chests can have straps to wear it like a backpack but i know if its full the Ha'aroo wont be strong enough to carry it by itself. It can hold a lot of goods though.

Once we create water in the barrell though we will be putting that water in our individual waterskins though right? I was thinking at first to get a rain collecter and 8 waterskins so once we fill up the rain collector/barrel then we can fill up our waterskins since we cant create water in an individual waterskin. Or we can but that would be a wasted spell slot. So you wont or the donkey wont need to be walking around with the groups water supply

Im sure we all have something we will want help carrying. Maybe a donkey per person?

Yeah, I was thinking we could easily do the 8 gallons to start and then do 8 gallons later in the day without issue.

Pardon my memory, I confused Syndra's map with the one Undra Silvertusk shows the party in Chapter 1.

Is the plan rain catcher + create water + pack mule? That's what I understand from the discussion. I think only one will be necessary, but I'm just speaking for myself.

In regards to a guide, I don't think Shara will need to buy much at the market, just a bedroll to sleep in and maybe some other miscellaneous things. If Jim can't pitch in for a guide, she may be able to help him cover the cost. This all assumes we still want one, but I would feel a little safer with one.

Sorry, I am finding the preparation a little overwhelming. I think I will buy similar items to Ha'aroo, unless something doesn't make sense
I'm happy to give more gold to others who can plan better than me / are not buying something because of cost.

well... preparatiion is the guide job in real life. It is actually part of module's idea that going to expedition without guided preparations will turn out as a failure. Some players were trying to avoid that. Will see if they are lucky enough.

he has not been in THIS jungle. could you for example tell party if drinking river water is safe? How to avoid dinos? What is more dangerous? Guide could have.

But you could be lucky enough to not meet dangers or to beat them