I'll get you started. I make my living as a photographer and I do take at least one tour each year. For a small compact to have with me every day I have a Nikon P330 that slips in my frame bag. You should take a look at the Canon G16-very good lens and image quality, optical viewfinder(although a poor one). An interesting new camera is the Sony RX10-great lens, excellent image quality, great video in a DSLR style package. The drawback is that it is pricey. The other interesting camera is the Nikon 1 AW1-waterproof, great performance, very good image quality. The drawback for you may be that it uses interchangeable lenses and will not be as compact as the other cameras. Look at the Olympus TG 2 if you want a rugged, waterproof compact. I am a proponent of micro 4/3 systems, and this is what I carry on tour. I use an Arkel small handlebar bag which works very well and provides fairly quick access. The micro 4/3 cameras will give you a more DSLR like experience and will be easier to use filters, will give excellent performance and image quality. I like the Panasonic GX7 and G6 as affordable travel cameras, and you could not go wrong with cameras like the Olympus OMD EM5/EM1 or the Olympus rangefinder style cameras like the EPL 5. For me micro 4/3 is the right balance of performance and image quality vs. size/weight. I hope this gets you started.