3. Do people bring walking sticks with them? Or do you pick up one along the way!
You can do whichever. I did not carry a stick but only did from Sarria to SDC. Two of my friends used sticks and two of us didn't
4. Looking into trousers- was thinking light combats, have the added benifit of having many pockets. Is that a good idea?
I had quick drying pants which i was very thankful for when I got drenched in the rain in Galicia.
5. If people bring their mobile phones and ipod (I know that is controversial! :mrgreen: ) How do they charge them? In the albergues?
There are plugs in the albergues, I took my iPhone but had it on airplane mode and used wifi where I could find it.
6. Do you get a bottle of wine with every "pilgrims meal"! :shock: Does that not make walking harder
I only noticed a glass of wine included, but also I did not drink or eat much until reaching SDC. My friends and I lived on coffee.
7. What time do people walk until? When they arrive at an albergue, is it safe to leave your bag in it, and go exploring the local village during the day?
The later you arrive in a town (within the last 100km) the less likely you are to get a spot in an albergue. There are polideportivos, but that can get crowded as well. Arriving before noon is your best bet. You can leave your bag in the albergue, I simply took my valuables with me everywhere, my cash, passport, credential, etc.
8. Do people bring much cash with them, or just use the Bank ATM's in the major cities?
I took enough cash for everything I could imagine
9. I know books are heavy, but is it not a good idea to bring one? What books do people recomend for the camino?
Bring a diary/journal and write your own book
10. If people could just give one piece of advice for a first timer- what would they say?
Have fun and don't worry. I just walked for my first time a couple weeks ago and had the best time. I started by myself and quickly made three friends who walked with me the entire way. We slept outside once and had a great time.