ACROSS AMERICA with the boys
For ten years Matthew Collins was given a weekly challenge on BBC TV’s The Travel Show. But when he took his children on a trip across America he faced his biggest-ever challenge – Khelga, his wife, stayed behind.
Khelga had started a new job. The prospects were great. But the job demanded commitment and Matthew and Khelga slipped into a working parents’ rut. The boys were in childcare. Days passed when they hardly saw them.
When Matthew realised that four-year-old Charlie would soon start school and not have so much free time again for years, he decided to take him and his three-year-old brother, Nicolai, on the trip of a lifetime. Khelga would be able to establish her new career, putting in guilt-free hours, knowing they were having a ball.
Matthew persuaded his bank manager to lend him some money and set off with the boys. The trip was a dream fulfilled. Father and sons shared a wonderful adventure. Khelga flew out to visit (and got promotion at work).
Their 6,500 miles, three-month journey in a motorhome took them from Orlando to Los Angeles. Naturally they had the odd problem – such as a brush with the law in Texas. And the kids continually tested Matthew’s patience. But they also got him invited to a Las Vegas wedding and on to Arkansas TV.
Across America with the boys is the story of a dad stepping off the working parent’s merry-go-round. The scrapes he and his boisterous kids get themselves into will make you laugh out loud.
Price: £7.99 (includes UK P&P)
(£8.99 for Europe; £10.99 for USA)
Books can be personally signed by Matthew. Please state requested dedication by clicking on 'Add special instructions to the merchant' on the next page. For example, 'Happy Christmas Sid.'
Please also include a contact telephone number in this section.
MATTHEW’S TRAVELS
10 Years of Trips for The Travel Show
Having travelled professionally from the age of 18 when he worked as a courier for a freight company (he once escorted a giant, prize-winning, cauliflower back from the Paris Agricultural Show – so big it had to have its own plane seat), he started on The Travel Show as a student hitch-hiker and soon became established as a low-budget traveller before moving on to become a professional fall-guy for the programme.
An endless succession of surprise travel challenges (presented to a stunned Matthew each week on the show) included travelling to Spain with his leg in plaster (it wasn’t broken but he had to test travelling facilities for disabled people); staying at a nudist camp where single men and photography were banned (he was alone with three cameras round his neck); and journeying to Athens and back on a bus (six days and six nights of travelling) with only an hour’s break in Athens.
This hilarious, fascinating book is a hugely entertaining account of Matthew’s madcap travel escapades. It includes many behind-the-scenes stories which could not be told on TV. The mixture of crazy adventure and humour will have readers laughing out loud.
Price: £7.99 (includes UK P&P)
(£8.99 for Europe; £10.99 for USA)
Books can be personally signed by Matthew. Please state requested dedication by clicking on 'Add special instructions to the merchant' on the next page. For example, 'Happy Birthday Madge'.
Please also include a contact telephone number in this section.
ACROSS CANADA with the boys and three grannies
It started with this:
WANTED
one cool, tough, child-loving, turbo-charged
GRANNY
for the FREE trip of a lifetime across Canada with three boys
(Nicolai 5, Charlie 6, and Matthew, 38)
It ended with:
Three trips of a lifetime for three grannies: Anne (English), 69; Eleanor (Scottish) 56; Wendy (Welsh) 66
Three Hundred Applicants; Three Generations; Three Nationalities… Whales, wolves, bears, eagle, elk, seahorses, gold prospectors, Mounties, speed cops, dog sledders, BC Bus Nuts…
Find out how they got on (and sometimes didn’t) in Matthew Collins’ hilarious, intriguing travel adventure Across Canada with the boys and three grannies.
Price: £7.99 (includes UK P&P)
(£8.99 for Europe; £10.99 for USA)
Books can be personally signed by Matthew. Please state requested dedication by clicking on 'Add special instructions to the merchant' on the next page. For example, 'Happy Travels Lisa.'
Please also include a contact telephone number in this section.