Backpack: I like smaller bags, not larger, because I dislike lugging around lots of stuff. Small to medium bags sit well on your lap on those bus trips when you have no alternative, and make it easy to stay mobile. If you have large luggage you are confined to dragging your stuff to the hotel before moving on, whereas if you travel light it's easy to take your stuff along with you and hit the road again if your destination fails to impress you. I prefer front loading packs over top loading packs for anything other than mountain climbing, as it's easier to get to your gear at the bottom of the bag. I tend to avoid combined suitcase-backpacks because I find them uncomfortable. Avoid rolling luggage at all costs: Nicaragua doesn't have easy rolling surfaces and even sidewalks are an endless up and down.

Pocket watch: I try to keep flashy stuff to a minimum when traveling in poor countries and an expensive wristwatch works against you by making you a target for thieves and by raising the prices of just about everything you bargain for. A cheap pocketwatch keeps your wrists flash-free and helps you settle into tropical time, where you shouldn't be watching the clock so frequently anyway.

Lucky Travel Hat: the best travel hat I ever used is not available outside of New Zealand, but when choosing headgear keep in mind the following: the more sun you can keep off your face and the back of your neck the better you will feel. Ball caps are a decent alternative but the sun is brighter than you think it is, so think broad brimmed and hopefully packable/crushable.

Travel pouch: The most important things in my luggage tend to be small, including keys, flashlights, medicine, pocket knives, and so on. It's immensely useful to have a small bag in your luggage with which to keep all those belongings together. Rememer you don't want to use the convenient side pouches of your bag because they are easily spotted there, and putting little items like flashlights exposes them to theft.

Flashlight: Most of Nicaragua is far worse illuminated than you would expect, even the capital. Having a tiny flashlight with you is tremendously useful for walking at night, finding stuff in your luggage, and keeping aware of your surroundings. Small is better, but bright is better than small. This little Eddy Bauer diode flashlight works on round watch batteries and casts an extremely bright light.

Travel Alarm: Never underestimate the importance of a small alarm clock to get you up in time for that early morning flight. If your watch, PDA, cellphone, or equivalent has an alarm feature go for it. Otherwise, a $5 alarm clock will more than equal its weight in gold.

Rain jacket: Umbrellas are useful too but hard to travel with and too easily lost. Instead, throw in with your clothes a light rain jacket you can put on in case of an inevitable cloudburst, especially if you will be traveling in the rainy season. Nothing is worse than traveling wet, so pack accordingly.

Small day bag: there is no shortage of fancy, strapped, buckled, cinchable day bagson the market but I have alwaays found the est day bags pack down into your regular backpack. But whatever your taste is, it's imperative to takealong something simple you carry with you on buses when your bag is out of sigtl, or just in town to deal with water ottle, camera, and keys. This bag came from Panajachel, whose artisans weave all sorts of treasures.

Pocket Compass: Alright, now the gearhead comes out. I love a tiny compass just to help orient me when I get off the bus in a new town, and because every map in both our books provides directions using cardinal directions knowing which way is north is useful. Remember in Nicaragua for most of the day the sun is close to overhead, so relying on shadows is not alway possible or easy.

Other Things: I always travel with a photocopy of my passport and some key addresses and phone numbers in case of emergency. It's also useful to have phone numbers for your credit card companies in case your wallet is stolen and you need to report lost cards. Too much paper gets heavy fast so be creative and keep it to a page or two, but in an emergency, all the information you have will make the difference between recovery and misery.

Meds: I never go to Nicaragua without sunscreen and insect repellent. Even with SPF45 I manage to get a deep tan and the occasional burn, but the alternative make for an uncomfortable trip. Mosquito repellant keeps malaria transmitters at arm's length, which is where you want them. If bugspray seems like a pain, let me just point out a good case of malaria or worse, dengue fever, will stop your fun right in its tracks.