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==After that==
Then, if you expect to be on the road for more longer time:
*A large towel (doubles as a blanket, shawl or pillow). Specially-made camping towels are light, small, and dry very fast.
*Hygienic products such as:
** toothbrush - even better in your pocket!
** A small bottle of liquid peppermint soap--the kind which can be used as toothpaste or mouthwash as well. Try to stay reasonably clean. Dr. Bronner's Pure Castille Soap is recommended, though the containers it comes in are not very sturdy (wrap it in a bag at the least).*Toilet paper or tissues. Don't ask why, just do forget to bury it.at least a foot down!*A stick of deodorant and/or spray bottle of cologne. Alternatively essential oils, as of lavendar, pachouli, grapefruit, etc.*A [[sleeping bag]]. It can be useful to have a good, waterproof Compression Sack as well.*An extra set of clothing, at the minimum, 2 extra pairs of socks and underwear, and an extra T-shirt. Women may want significantly more changes of underwear.* A nice warm jacketor hooded sweatshirt. It's possible to do wonderful things with the right layers; good camping longjohns and thermals are worth their small weight in cold weather, and are comfortable to wear to bed.*Something to drink, food, fruit, nuts. You don't want your [[food]] and drinks to be all over your stuff, so make sure that this is carefully packed. Canned food is entirely too heavy - better is dried bulk food, etc. Remember to drink lots of water, and that most other drinks (like coffee, soda, orange juice, etc.) will actually dehydrate you. *Reading material, for waits and quiet rides. (such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Road On the Road] by Jack Kerouac, or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evasion_%28book%29 Evasion] by Anonymous).*A small sewing kit is crucial for longer trips (especially if you have only one pair of pants - hitchhiking with a hole in your crotch is quite difficult) Recommended: at least one pair pants and one shorts. Conventional thread is really dreadfully weak, many travellers prefer to use dental floss because of its vastly superior durability. Some flosses are better than others, with the standard being Johnson & Johnson Reach brand. Good floss can also conveniently be burned/melted down onto a knot.
*A journal is always a good choice to keep track of where you've been and who you've met, and to later add useful information to this wiki!
*Some basic tools to make jewelry with, or other such, will keep you in pocket change and give you something to do on lazy afternoons in the park, and will provide you with an answer if the police ask what you're doing in town. Also good for starting conversations.
*A [[harmonica]], pennywhistle, kalimba or the like is also nice.
*If it makes you feel safer: a film-canister full of pepper--kept in your most accessible pocket. You probably won't need to use it, but you should have it handy to be able to pop the lid and toss it in the face of an attacker.
*An aluminized mylar "space blanket" is an exceptional survival tool, and weighs only an ounce or two.*A multi-tool. My preference is the ''Leatherman Wave''. A companion used the ''Leatherman Blast'' and would not recommend it - the pins that hold the tool-lock releases are made to cross too long a gap, and can snap. The ''Swiss Army Knife'' is of course a classic as well.*A tarp. There are a few varieties, my preference is actually a coated nylon rain poncho that doubles as a tarp. Good to separate you from the ground, or to rig up a shelter with, or to cover your pack when stashing it somewhere if it might rain. The new "siltarps" made with siliconized Cordura are extremely waterproof, ridiculously lightweight, and very surprisingly durable.*Rain gear. As mentioned above, a poncho works well and doubles as a tarp, but even just a contractor trash bag tucked away is a good idea. If considering a rain jacket, remember that you'll want to keep your pack dry as well as not end up with your pants/skirt soaked.
===Camping===
If you decide on camping you of course need may want some more stuff:* A tent (or at least a couple of large, sturdy leaf bags, one opened at the bottom and duct-taped to the other to make a 6' long waterproof bag to sleep in- be sure not to suffocate yourself!) . * A pad to sleep on (1" foam rubber x 2' wide by 5' long, for example), or a Thermarest or other self-inflating sleeping pad. Frankly, with either cardboard or dry leaves being very readily available at almost any place you might camp, carrying a pad with you is not really needed except in a few contexts.* A metal cup big enough to hold a can of [[Sterno ]] (packing space is at a premium) and a can of Sterno. Alternatively, instead of Sterno, you can use a [[Squat Candle]] or [[DIY Alcohol Stove]].* Matches or lighter- preferably both, maybe even two lighters to be sure. Bics are the most reliable.* A boy-scout type fork, spoon, knife set (heavy) or your pocket knife and a spoon.* A sharp pocket knife, preferably a tool-kit type with screwdrivers, etc.
* A length of coat-hanger type wire and a length of sturdy cord or string
* A canteen or plastic water bottle (glass WILL break!).
* Your clothes, stuffed into your backpack, make a good pillow and make it much less likely someone will steal your backpack while you are sleeping on it, particularly if you keep an arm through the straps while asleep.
* Most bridges have a flat, dry space underneath which is excellent.