British Airways facing strikes by cabin crews

House swapping is an ultimate budget travel feat— you allow someone to stay in your home while you take off and stay in theirs. You both get free accommodations and an authentic experience in a new city. So what's house swapping really like? We asked Nicole I. Frank of Roofswap.com, a new site that has more than 14,000 house-swapping listings in 130 countries. She offers advice for curious house swappers, and she should know—the native New Yorker is a veteran of more than 40 house swaps since 1991. Q:Tell us what you get with a membership on Roofswap. A: Roof Swap was founded by passionate home swappers. You'll have access to an easy-to-use template that'll get your home listed for swapping in a few easy steps. Then, you can search one of the largest databases, with 14,000 diverse listings. We also offer customized advice from home exchange veterans like myself, attentive customer service, and unlimited home swap vacations. Editor's Note: RoofSwap's three-month trial membership costs $20; a yearly membership is $75. If you sign up for membership before Dec. 31, 2010, you can get 20 percent off when using promo code MAR2BT0. Q: What do you tell people who are interested in house-swapping but also a little fearful of it? A: RoofSwap has a Forum where members can ask any questions they have and get expert advice from me and other veteran Roofswappers. For more peace of mind, RoofSwap is the only house-swapping club that offers a low-cost insurance policy backed by an insurance company. Most people with home-owners' or renters' insurance can check their policies to be reassured that they are already covered for almost anything that could go wrong. Q: What are the benefits of house-swapping, besides the fact that you get your accommodations for free? A: Vacationing in someone's home helps you "live like a local" for a more interesting travel experience; swappers share insider tips on places to go the area. Swappers are usually happy to care for Rover or Kitty. Families will have more space than in a hotel room and can make use of the swap partners' stroller, high chair, toys, and books. Also, homes have more useful amenities than hotels— I would much rather have free wireless internet, a kitchen, and a washer/dryer than a mint on my pillow. Swappers can often negotiate trading the use of cars in addition to homes...I could go on! Q: Do you have to live in a big city to be a good candidate for house-swapping? A: There is something interesting about everyone's home town. City folks often want a rural retreat. Swappers from other countries want to experience small-town life. No matter where you live, someone will want to swap for your home. Q: You've been on a number of house swaps yourself. What's your favorite story to tell about house-swapping? A: My six-week honeymoon grand tour of Europe. We stayed in Barcelona, Nice, Paris, and Amsterdam and never spent a penny on lodging. PREVIOUSLY The Secrets to Happy House Swapping

San Francisco is a walker's city. So think like a local and try a walking tour when you're in town, instead of taking a stereotypical bus tour. Walking tours are an excellent way to get an insider perspective of the city, whether you're interested in must-see landmarks or more uncommon sites. In our opinion, the five listed here are well worth the money. Downtown: San Francisco Architecture Walking Tour Even people who work downtown don't know about most of the hidden rooftop gardens, unmarked passages, outdoor sculptures, and architectural wonders in the area, like the Hallidie building, which was the first structure in the world to use a "glass-curtain wall". Guide Rick Evans's knowledge of the history and architecture of the city is impressive, and he often includes tidbits on future city plans in this two-hour tour. If you're staying downtown, this is an easy first activity—and you'll be an expert by the end. $20. Reservations required. Meet at the lobby of the Galleria Park Hotel, 191 Sutter Street. Mission District: Latino Mural Art The arts organization Precita Eyes offers walking tours of more than 50 of the Mission District's famous public murals, which are a testament to the neighborhood's rich Latino culture. See the murals up close; scenes and styles range greatly, from celebrations to children's art to modern works by local emerging artists. The guides on the hourlong tours explain the history and significance of each mural and also include information about the artists and how the murals are made. from $10 for adults, $5 for kids and seniors, $2 for children under 12. Reservations not required. Tours are offered Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Various meeting locations. Private tours available by appointment. Note that maps of the Mission's murals are also available at the center for self-guided tours. Pacific Heights: Victorian San Francisco The iconic Painted Ladies are a must-see for any visitor, and this guided tour takes tourists around the neighborhood to see even more beautiful homes. Guides describe what life was like back in the Victorian era. Wear comfy sneakers: The hilly tour offers ample opportunities for fabulous views of the city and the Bay. Free. No reservations required. Tours offered Sundays at 2 p.m. Meet at 1801 Bush at Octavia. Want more? Check out sfcityguides.org for 50 free walking-tours. Chinatown : Alleyway Tour Young tour guides who grew up in this San Francisco enclave lead you through the hidden back alleys of the "real" Chinatown while sharing the history and culture of the 'hood—plus a few secrets. The non-profit company also cares about current community issues, giving this two-hour tour a socially conscious bent. Highlights include Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat Sen's former house, old opium dens, and Ross Alley, where movies like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom were filmed. $18, cash or check only. Reservations required at least five days in advance. Tours are offered Monday–Saturday. 11 a.m-1 p.m. Meet at the upper level of Portsmouth Square (near Washington and Kearny), across from the Hilton Hotel's bridge. Downtown, Chinatown, North Beach, and Fisherman's Wharf: The Barbary Coast Trail This tour follows the historical society's gold sidewalk markers that point out important landmarks. Get the backstories behind sights like the North Beach hangouts of the Beats (including Jack Kerouac's favorite barstool) and the Pony Express Headquarters, plus a few historic ships and Coit Tower. You'll also hear the seedy side of the Gold Rush days. You can opt to only do parts of the tour or tackle the whole 3.8 miles from downtown to Fisherman's Wharf. $22. By appointment only. The tour is one way, but it parallels the Powell-Hyde cable car line, so you can hop on the cable car to get back. For a self-guided option, MP3 audio tours and maps are available for download, starting at $9.

Today, Google added bicycle directions to its online maps for 150 cities nationwide. Says the Official Google Blog: Dark green indicates a dedicated bike-only trail; Light green indicates a dedicated bike lane along a road; Dashed green indicates roads that are designated as preferred for bicycling, but without dedicated lanes. Just in time for spring! Visit maps.google.com/biking

Researcher Daniel Gilbert is one of the world's foremost authorities on how ordinary people can learn to make smarter decisions. He studies decision-making in lots of different situations. But the first paragraph of this new profile of Gilbert in Harvard Magazine has relevance to travelers in particular. Your parents recommend taking a Caribbean cruise and tell you about a discount deal. You've never taken a cruise and aren't so sure you'd enjoy it, so you dig up some information on the Web and even watch a couple of videos. You recollect the times you've been on ships, and your past visits to Caribbean islands—rum drinks, aqua waters. But will you really enjoy an eight-day cruise? Turns out there is a better way to answer this question: ask anyone who has just gotten off a cruise boat—a total stranger is fine. That way, you'll be 30 to 60 percent more likely to accurately predict your own experience than by basing your decision on painstaking research and inner speculations. Another traveler's verdict is "a useful guide because we are far more similar to each other than we realize." A key part of the cruise example is that you need to ask people who have just gotten off a ship. According to Gilbert's study (published in a recent issue of the journal Science), the other traveler's experience must be recent. "People are very poor at remembering how happy they were," Gilbert says. "So it's not very useful to ask, 'How much did you like something you experienced last year?' People get most questions about happiness wrong. But there is one question they get right: how happy are you right now?" This research may sound counter-intuitive to some people, though it certainly explains the popularity of user-review sites like TripAdvisor. What do you think? Will you ask a stranger (or friend or family member) who's just back from a destination whether you should go there? Or will you make up your own mind? MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Get Psyched! Even storm clouds and crying babies can't dim the glow of a getaway if you follow these sometimes-counterintuitive strategies—based on scientific research. MORE ON DANIEL GILBERT'S RESEARCH Read the blog for his book Stumbling on Happiness