Backpacker Pack List continued

On Rain protection
   If you are going to take a rain coat, then get a good one. It should be some breathable waterproof material, and will probably cost you a couple of hundred dollars (in Australia). I say 'if' because I wish, in hindsight I had travelled with a durable poncho instead of my raincoat.... such a poncho would be longer, could cover my pack/packs as well, and would keep me drier if I had to sit in the rain (like when I had to sit unprotected on a little boat on a lake in Argentina). You can get ponchos of reasonable quality. Check the length before you go, as a petite person like myself probably would need to get one shortened.
   A good poncho could also be used to sit on or as a make shift fly (tent). Disposable Ponchos aren't good for anything other than an emergency.

   If you are a city traveller an umbrella might be suitable, but they aren't good for hiking, so an umbrella is not on my packing list.

On socks

   Really, there is no point buying an expensive pair of hiking boots, if you are going to put regular cheap socks under them. Good socks will keep your feet drier, and this will help stop you from getting blisters. They will also help keep your feet at a better temperature.

On shoes
   Now that I have discovered my Croc sandals I could successfully travel with just 2 pairs of shoes.... My hiking boots and my Croc sandals.
   Good hiking boots are a must if you intend to go hiking and they will help you carry  your pack without damaging your body as much as you will by carry a pack whilst wearing thongs (this being Australian English for Flip-flops, not skimpy underwear!). I recommend waterproof breathable ones, but try for something not too heavy as then you will feel better about wearing them for everyday use.
   I love hiking sandals too, but since dislocating my toe I recommend you look seriously at the ones with covered toes.
   My Crocs! (pictured) I can wear these in the shower to protect my feet from foot fungus in travellers showers, then wipe them dry and wear them sightseeing or to a bar (yep, I think they look good enough). And if I want to dance in them (serious salsa I mean) I put some silver shiny tape on the bottom of them (to give me less traction and more spin), and tie them on with cute ribbon across the top.

On taking a sleep sheet and/or sleeping bag

   Lots of people ask whether they should take a sleeping bag, and that depends on the type of trip you'll be doing. But, in a year of backpacking (10.5 months South America, 1.5 months USA), I only actually needed it on one 2 night tour, and I could have hired one on that occasion, so it is the one item that I carried for the whole year but should have left at home.

   On the other hand, I do recommend that, if you are travelling in cheap hotels/hostels/homestays, you take a sleep sheet. Sleep sheets are special sack style sheets, they are generally available in cotton or silk. Silk takes up less space but is hotter, cotton takes up more space but is cooler. I found years ago that the single silk sleep sheet is too cramped for me (and I am petite), so this time I travelled with a double silk sleep sheet, and found it worked well for me. I have also met people who had bought a length of interesting fabric somewhere and were using it as a sheet. Later it would be sewn into something and larger people were able to use theirs as a wrap/sarong.

On Toiletries

   Oh, there is so much more to write! I'll cover this one later, and more...