Bed bugs: How to cut your risk

Nothing gets travelers more fired up these days than baggage fees, and our online community here at Budget Travel is no exception. Over the last year, as airlines have ratcheted up checked luggage and carry-on costs, we've been privy to your rants, your anecdotes, and your tips on the topic. We thought we'd heard it all. But then along comes writer Rolf Potts with, perhaps, the most extreme solution to avoiding those fees: Ditch the baggage altogether. "The more I've traveled, the more I've wondered if luggage is really necessary, or if it just sort of gets in the way of your travels," Potts said. "Without baggage, there won't be anything to get in the way of the enjoyment of the trip and the people you meet along the way." So starting this week, he's putting that theory to the test—in the most extreme way possible. He's traveling around the world for six weeks, "without a single piece of luggage," he says, "not even a man purse or a fanny pack." The only creature comforts he'll bring from home—including a toothbrush, iPod, lip balm, and a spare pair of underwear—will be those he can fit within the pockets of his clothing. Potts' trip will take him on a whirlwind loop from New York to London, through France and Spain, and then on to Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Los Angeles, and then back to New York. Extreme? Certainly. But Potts is no stranger to pushing his personal travels to the limits—and showing his readers what's possible in the process. Over the past ten years, he's traveled to and reported from more than sixty countries. He lived and worked in Southeast Asia for seven years. He drove a Land Rover from California to the southern tip of South America. He walked across Israel. He cycled across Burma. He piloted a boat down the Mekong. And most importantly, he picked up a thing or two about solo travel on a dime along the way and shared those lessons with the rest of us in what many consider to be the Bible of independent travel, his book Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel. It's safe to guess he'll pick up similar bits of wisdom during his "No Baggage Challenge," and I, for one, know I'll stay tuned to his online page to find out. PREVIOUSLY Interview with Rolf Potts on the "tourist" versus "traveler" debate

This past weekend saw the launch of London Mayor Boris Johnson's much vaunted bike rental plan (known as a "cycle hire scheme" to locals). About 6,000 bicycles are now available to rent. They've been distributed around town at about 400 docking stations, similar to Paris's program (which we tested out in a recent video report). Soon American visitors will be able to join Londoners in renting bikes to tool around town. The annual membership plan just announced by the mayor is aimed at residents, while vacationing Americans will only want the occasional usage plan—set to launch in late August or September. Occasional usage will cost $1.55 per trip. London is one of the best cities in Europe for cyclists. Hills are few and generally shallow and there are none at all downtown where you'll find most of the major sights. For instance, it's only a 10-minute ride between the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. And it's about 30 minutes from the Houses of Parliament to the Tower of London (where the Crown Jewels are displayed)—all of ride along a designated river bank walking and cycling path. It's easy to rent a bike. The cost depends on the duration of your trip. Journeys of half an hour or less are free. For the first few weeks at least, you'll need to sign up online with a credit card before you can use the bikes. On top of membership and the occasional use fee is a bicycle usage fee based on the amount of time you spend cycling. The first thirty minutes cycling are free. An hour costs $1.55, a 90-minute trip costs $6 and costs climb in increments from there to a steep $78 for 24 hours. You will rarely be cycling for more than an hour though, as you'll drop off the bike when you reach your destination. So renting a bike in London is far cheaper than taking the subway or bus on a one-time, one way basis. The bikes are kept at docks, most of which are near subway stations. Look for the blue and white circular "cycle hire" symbols. If there's a red light above any given bike, it means the bike is not available—probably because it is in need of a repair. Here is how you get the bike out of the dock: Insert your credit card into the credit card reader. An amber light will illuminate while your membership account or verification code (given to occasional users after they enter their credit card) is being verified. A green light flashes, and then you can unlock your bike and head off. When you return your two-wheeler, make sure you get a green light and clicking sound. Otherwise, you will continue to be charged after you've walked away. There's a video showing you how the scheme works on www.tfl.gov.uk/BarclaysCycleHire MORE Budget Travel's full blog coverage of London

You've got 55 days to go before autumn officially sets in, and a lot less than that before school starts. So we're wondering how many of you will you make the last days of summer count. Share your plans below.

Nothing quite kills vacation fun like a baggage fee, which we've all gotten used to in the past few years. (We know you hate it—47 percent of you said that extra charges for baggage were the "most outrageous fee" of all in our Readers' Choice poll). But at least we've seen the worst of it, right? Maybe not. In a story published this week in Crain's Chicago Business, United president John Tague said that he thinks annual revenue from baggage fees can nearly triple—up to $1 billion a year. United currently reaps in $350 to $400 million in annual revenue from baggage fees. According to the article, about 40 percent of the bags flying on United get a fee, mostly because international flights are exempt from baggage fees (unlike bags flying domestically, which cost $25 right now). Although Tague isn't quoted directly about whether United will add a fee for baggage on international flights, he did say fees will, over time, become "more or less ubiquitous." Well, that's not so encouraging, is it? United was the first airline to begin charging a baggage fee domestically, and the entire industry followed. Plus, the fact that United and Continental are merging to become the world's biggest airline, means that if the company started accessing a new baggage fee (or raised current fees), it will affect a lot more people on a lot more flights. And late last week, Congress got into the act, indicating that they might pass legislation that would tax airlines for the money they make on ancillary fees. It's a vicious circle: the government imposes taxes, the airlines lose money, so they raise fees. Escalating fees—yet another challenge for today's modern traveler. But let's hope that baggage fees stay where they are—at least for now. Need cheering up? Check out our 25 travel-inspiring photos slide show.