This is in no way my assuming you are like what I am about to say. And as alway I only throw in my two cents if no one gives a good enough answer, or dance delicately around brittle ice or too nice to say it as it is. Okay I am in a rant mood.
I learn that lesson years ago by lending a friend who formerly was a hobby photographer like me who decided to borrow my gear to do some office shooting like a one off thingy. Well familiar with Nikon and the camera system so I was after some nudging decided to lend my F4s & F90, 4 lens,flash and bag. Firstly he borrowed them longer then he said, hogged them over 3 months.Since I was going through a cool period with shooting, I did not think too much of it.
When I got them back, I noticed all have never been clean after use. All my cleaning lens tissue has all gone but the deepest cut. He drop my 70-210mm zoom or bumped it hard as there was a dent when the zoom was extended. It was bad as I think lens elements got misalign. Problem was I did not detect this immediately as I thought he would have looked after them as well as he did with his previously owned camera equipment.(he was a stickler for keeping his equipment in tip top condition) Suffice to say, he denied damaging my lens...and suffice to say..we are no longer friends too. Even if nothing was wrong when the equipment was return, there is always tension of some sort with lending certain things that is very personal to you. My other thing is lending others ride my mountain bike for example.
Like Eternity says...would you lend your wife out? With camera I notice 99% are that attached to their equipment.
If anyone were to lend you any kind of equipment. It will be a personal loan thingy. How much the law will protect that trust when something goes wrong is sketchy at best. I can't legally detain your I/C as an individual...etc. Just alot harder to proof in court if something happens. Even if I don't charge you a rental fee, you can bet I would like to have a deposit from you to the tune of the current price of the total equipment you borrow as collateral and spell out compensation terms if you damage or lose the equipment borrow. In that scenarios, company would be the best place to rent. Where everything is on the "up and up", legally bonded under a company...etc.
Don;t mean to offend you but I reckon you might be new to photography because if you are not, you would know anyone who is serious about their equipment especially pricey brands will rather you kill them and pry it from their dead fingers then to agree to lend a stranger or even a friend. Even if it is a 4 mp camera it still cost a couple of hundred buckaroos.
And there is also the issue of how well you know about digital camera..even if it is a point and shoot. What memory management system are you set up with? You bringing a notebook to store each day's shoot? How much memory do you need if someone were to lent you? How good are you with the digital equipment to use it well enough to document your trip? Or are you intending to borrow it alot longer to get use to learning how to use the camera as well? Camera Advertisement always claim it is so easy to use their camera..blah blah..point shoot, point shoot...etc but if you spend time reading around clubsnap long enough you will find how many come in here seeking help with some of the most basic and simple stuff about their camera or shooting problem or stories of ruining all their holiday shots. Just some things to think about.
You really want a digital 4mp P&S but not willing to buy one? Well if any company is going to rent you one..it will cost you a few hundreds for sure and maybe a hefty deposit. You migth as well buy a 4mp P&S and use during your trip and then sell it when you come back. You might lose a hundred or so in resell but it might be cheaper.
Not trying to cramp your plan but...this are pretty real opinion.