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Are We Nearly There Yet?

3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 · rating details · 296 ratings · 79 reviews

The story ofa madcap five-month family trip to write atravel guideembracing the freedom of the open road with a spirit of discovery and an industrial supply of baby wipes

"Hurry up," I shout at Dinah, whilst on the overhead telly Ray Mears’ Survival is playing extraordinarily loudly because Charlie sat on the volume button of the remote. The kids writhe about in the

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Kindle Edition, 353 pages

Published (first published August 1st 2011)

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May 05, 2012 Janet rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

This book is so much more than a travelogue, it is a true portrait of family life, warts and all! The book is Ben Hatch's memoir of his 8000 mile journey around Britain with his wife and 2 children - both under 4 in the attempt to write a travel guide for families. Ben's very honest account will have you both laughing and crying, but most of all you will realise that basically for all of us with kids - we are all following the same chaotic path in life! The book is very well written, it will kee...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Ness rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Why would anyone think it was a good idea to travel round the UK with 2 young children is beyond me but i'm so glad Ben did.
It seems impossible that you could live like that for so long & not kill each other but family Hatch proved it can be done, a great insight into the life of a family who shared the highs & lows, the tears & the laughter.
Having downloaded it onto my kindle before going on holiday & the reading how much stuff they had to try to cram into their car, my suitcas...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Trish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ben and his wife Dinah accept the formidable task of travelling round Britain in a battered Vauxhall Astra to write a family guide book. They take off for five months with their two young children and pack in nearly as many family-friendly attractions as Dinah tries to secrete extra pairs of shoes in their luggage. They discover there are only so many ruined abbeys a family can 'ooh' and 'aah' at and that hotels can be judged on the quality of their complimentary biscuits and whether or not you...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Alan Hunt rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I started off quite liking this book. Sounded like a good idea in principle and then turns into the trip from hell, as most long journeys with kids are. I thought this was written by an average bloke and his family, same as you and I. Just got an opportunity and went for it. As I read the book, it becomes clear that Ben's family is a bit more well-heeled and his father was a Sir and something like Controller of Light Entertainment for the BBC and Chairman of some national committee. This kind of...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Ian Kirkpatrick rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ben Hatch has written a wonderful memoir that is by turns both hilarious and deeply moving. His family’s eight thousand mile journey around the UK in a Vauxhall Astra carrying out research for a family-friendly guidebook provides many opportunities for humour. But this is much more than a series of funny set pieces; the quality of the writing draws you into Hatch’s life, and provides an insight into this period of re-evaluation.

By the end of the book I had developed a real affection for Ben’s wi...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was lucky enough to be sent this book for review, and to be honest I was a little scared at the prospect. My geography is horrendous, I have never been to London (I am 30!) and I worried I would not understand references in the book.

This book reads like a comedy of family life, a memoir and a travel guide, all wrapped into one attractive striking red cover. I could not put this book down. I myself have 2 under 4's and own a Vauxhall Astra! Ha ha. I laughed out loud at the wonderful antics of t...more I was lucky enough to be sent this book for review, and to be honest I was a little scared at the prospect. My geography is horrendous, I have never been to London (I am 30!) and I worried I would not understand references in the book.

This book reads like a comedy of family life, a memoir and a travel guide, all wrapped into one attractive striking red cover. I could not put this book down. I myself have 2 under 4's and own a Vauxhall Astra! Ha ha. I laughed out loud at the wonderful antics of the children, Phoebe and Charlie. They are intelligent, willful, adorable, frustrating and heart warming all in one, which is exactly what a child should be.

I laughed out loud at the poo incidents, 'stinky' car (mine is a Health Hazard waiting for NASA to investigate at present) and the general normal, funny aspects of this wonderful family as they travelled 8000 miles, making a guide book for Frommers.

Throughout the book, author Ben Hatch weaves into these lighthearted antics and frustrating, tiring days, a story about his family. His mum's death, his sometimes strained relationship with his father, his marriage issues, and his famous father's battle with cancer. When Ben talks about being scared that soon no-one will be 'above him' to see him through life, I cried. Lots. His candidness and laying out of himself, warts and all, endears him to your heart. Dinah, his wife, is also a strong character in the book, his partner in crime, and her tortoise phobia is so funny I again cried, tears of laughter this time.

I won't ruin the ending for you, but I read this book, devoured it, and am now reading it again. This book has it all, it's the kind of book that stays with you afterwards. I literally wanted to force people to sit down, screaming at them, 'read this book, you HAVE TO!'

I wanted to adopt the whole family after reading it, as I am sure you will too..but I warn you, I have first dibs...and I do a mean cheese on toast.....This book is currently on offer for Kindle at less than a pound, blink and you will miss it, and you will be missing out....(less)

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Dec 19, 2011 Suzie Grogan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bought this book when I fell for a shrewd piece of twitter marketing by author Ben Hatch but I am not in the least bit sorry that I went to my Kindle and downloaded it straight away. It is longer than I imagined but even at this busy time of year I found myself wanting to get back to it; to see what happened next.

Are We Nearly There Yet? it not simply a funny travelogue; a description of the joys and otherwise of a trip around Britain spending days at tourist attractions and nights in various...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Nikki Bywater rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the true story of Ben Hatch and his wife Dinah and their two children Phoebe aged four and Charlie aged 9 months. It is a challenge to take two children under five out for the day, let alone taking them on the usual two weeks family holiday. Imagine that holiday is going to last for five months, which is exactly what Ben and Dinah did with their two small children, when they were approached to write a guide book about family travel around Britain. So they packed up their car with a caref...more This is the true story of Ben Hatch and his wife Dinah and their two children Phoebe aged four and Charlie aged 9 months. It is a challenge to take two children under five out for the day, let alone taking them on the usual two weeks family holiday. Imagine that holiday is going to last for five months, which is exactly what Ben and Dinah did with their two small children, when they were approached to write a guide book about family travel around Britain. So they packed up their car with a carefully planned itinerary and everything except the kitchen sink, oh and their coats too!

In this book we share their journey and experiences as they go from place to place visiting four to five different attractions in a day and sleeping in a different hotel every night, hoping that they will be child friendly. They visit some interesting places on their travels, from searching for Wallace and Gromit at the Wensleydale Creamery Visitor Centre, to the circus at Blackpool Tower and much, much more. This is not the actual guidebook this is more their own personal account of what happened when they hit the open road.

I have not stopped smiling since I read this book. It is written with really great humour and is laugh out loud funny at times in parts and deeply moving in others. We share the highs and the lows of travelling with two small children.
This book has got personality and charisma that make it a fantastic read.

Ben Hatch lives in Hove, East Sussex. His first comic novel The Lawnmower Celebrity was one of Radio 4’s books of the year in 2000. His second, The International Gooseberry was published in 2001 and described as ‘hysterical and surprisingly sad’ by the Daily Express. Ben was on the long-list of Granta’s 2003 list of the most promising twenty young authors in the UK. With his wife Dinah he has also written three guidebooks – Frommer’s: Scotland with your family, Frommer’s: England with your family and Frommer’s: Britain for free.

ARE WE THERE YET? Is published by Summersdale and is available through internet book sellers (Amazon: http://goo.gl/uzqYw) and all good book shops (or direct from Summersdale)
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Apr 01, 2012 Alastair Mccollum rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was another one who Ben managed to catch through some canny twitter marketing and the fact the book is only a Pound on Kindle!

It is a very good book and I am very pleased to have taken the bait - yes it has lots of funny bits, particularly the self-depreciation that Hatch layers upon himself throughout, but it is also a profound and moving account of the practical troubles of getting a family of four around the UK in order to review as many so-called 'family friendly' attractions as possible...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Dave Cornford rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As an experienced travelling dad and author of Nanna's Travel Tips, I loved reading this book, although the premise - spending months in a car touring around Britain with two preschool aged children while researching a travel guide - made me question Hatch's sanity from the start. And what a start it is, with packing the car for the trip almost pushing the family over the edge.

What impressed me most is that there is no sugar coating to the story. Amongst the mountains of fun, phobias and faux pa...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Philip Catshill rated it 5 of 5 stars

I guess I was persuaded to buy this book because a well-known comic actor described it as hilariously funny, and yes, there are parts that I found amusing, but nothing made me laugh out loud. Am I on my own in thinking this book has a serious underlying tone? Yes, Ben Hatch took his wife Dinah, and their toddlers on a five month jaunt around Britain to write a guide book, and yes, they get into some situations which could be described as mildly amusing, but I think in this book, Ben Hatch leads...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Debbie Young rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A wonderful, life-affirming read, running the gamut of emotions from slapstick comedy and "Outnumbered" style family dynamics to the slow, heart-rending death of the author's father and his need to come to terms with their complex relationship. Yes, it's a travel book, but really that's just a metaphor for (dare I say it?) the journey that the author is on dealing with his father's terminal illness, and at the same time it's a significant staging post in his own fatherhood. It's one of those boo...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Sheli rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, kindle, non-fiction

I downloaded this book by chance and I am glad I did as I really enjoyed reading it.

The story follows Ben as he embarks on a five month trip around Britain with his wife and two children under the age of four, all in a Vauxhall Astra. He is intending to review accommodation and attractions based on how child friendly they are for a guidebook. This book details his travels in a personal way, including a very personal journey he was forced to embark on at the same time as the trip.

It was well wri...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Craig P. Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A really enjoyable romp through (most of) Britain with some wonderful laugh-out-loud moments. Honestly, I had some right ol' belly laughs reading this book, to the point that the missus threatened to go and sleep in the other room if I didn't stop reading it. The bit about the toothbrush is priceless...(I can't believe that the author would own up to such a story!).

The book charts the exploits of the Hatch family as they tour Britain researching a guidebook they are writing (the parents, not the...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Jon Platt rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Apparently smallpox claimed the life of Abraham Lincoln. Yup, news to me and - I would imagine - to his assassin john wilkes booth. This is just one example of the howlers in this criminally overrated book.

If you wish to read an entertaining book about travelling around the uk then please read the far superior and far, far funnier 'Notes from a small island' by Bill Bryson. If you wish to read a far more interesting and well-written book about the north of the uk then read Stuart Maconie's 'Pie...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Lindsay (Little Reader Library) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A couple and their two young children under four set out on a five month road trip around Britain, predominantly England, to research and experience hotels and attractions in order to write a guide book packed with family-friendly tips.

Covering 8,000 miles in all in their epic car journey, what follows is an humourous, touching, endearing account of this journey and all their antics, from the laugh-out-loud hilarious to the downright embarrassing. Join them as they hunt for Wadcrags, play ‘I don...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: autobiographies, travel

A bit of a departure from my current reading habits, this one. I'd noted a fair amount of Twitter buzz surrounding this book, and I'm a sucker for a bit of Twitter buzz (because most of the time, it turns out to be justified). Plus, having two kids that are on the minuscule side myself, I was pretty intrigued by the motivation of a couple who would willingly travel the length and breath of the UK with their offspring over an extended period. I figured a full-frontal lobotomy might occur at some...more A bit of a departure from my current reading habits, this one. I'd noted a fair amount of Twitter buzz surrounding this book, and I'm a sucker for a bit of Twitter buzz (because most of the time, it turns out to be justified). Plus, having two kids that are on the minuscule side myself, I was pretty intrigued by the motivation of a couple who would willingly travel the length and breath of the UK with their offspring over an extended period. I figured a full-frontal lobotomy might occur at some point in the narrative, either that or some bouts of hysteria.

Ok, ok, I exaggerate (slightly). Travelling with kids can, on occasion, be, er, quite pleasant with occasional glimpses of gushing pride at cuteness of offspring, but on the whole, one gargantuan headache.

Ben Hatch and his wife, Dinah, are commisioned to write a guidebook assessing family friendly-hotels and attractions across the country. Swiftly moving on from each spot, Hatch documents the inevitable disasters, arguments, accidents and humour that you can imagine would stem from the scenario.

This book is EXTREMELY funny. I had preconcieved notion of it being a bit twee but it was anything but. I nearly wet myself twice in mild hysterics (the good kind) - never will I be able to recall my own fond memories of Liverpool without thinking about the 'submarine' in the Albert Dock. Trust me, you will have to be a very cold-hearted curmudgeon not to giggle at this. Kudos to Hatch for his frankness and honesty - nothing, and I repeat NOTHING is glossed over. I'm not quite sure I would like so much graphic detail on the author's bowel movements for every book I pick up, but I can forgive it here, because, again, it made me laugh like a mad-woman.

What is surprising is that the day-to-day goings on are accompanied by a very personal account of Hatch's attempts to come to terms with his father's serious illness. His accounts of his trip are interdispersed with tales of his short visits to his dad. One side is steeped in humour, the other in sadness but the two never jar and both strands compliment each other perfectly.

Biographies can be a bit hit-and-miss for me. They can often end up being self-indulgent ramblings that mean very little to anyone but the subject. I always like them with a healthy dose of humour and a brisk pace, and this works on both these points.

Even if you don't usually go for travel biographies, I really recommend this one, especially if you have kids. It definitely served to remind me why we only attempt a family holiday, once a year, if that.

TRAVEL TIPS?

Well, the main here one is never, I repeat, NEVER leave to go on the open road without a mammouth supply of chocolate buttons to use for bribery etc.
Also, another thing I loved about this was that it reminded me how little I have seen of the UK and the colossal amount of cool stuff on my own doorstep. On the other side of the coin, it did flag up the sheer amount of boring crap to avoid, which is just as useful. And put me off going to the Lake District any time soon.
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Oct 25, 2011 Victoria Watson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ever fancied upping sticks and travelling around the UK with your family while researching attractions for a travel book? I bet many of you have but one man who really did is Ben Hatch.

Ben and his wife Dinah were approaching forty with little work and money drying up and so decided, after a deal with an American publishing house, to pack their two kids into their Vauxhall Astra to travel the country hunting out child-friendly attractions as well as fun for the adults. Perhaps this was a naive id...more Ever fancied upping sticks and travelling around the UK with your family while researching attractions for a travel book? I bet many of you have but one man who really did is Ben Hatch.

Ben and his wife Dinah were approaching forty with little work and money drying up and so decided, after a deal with an American publishing house, to pack their two kids into their Vauxhall Astra to travel the country hunting out child-friendly attractions as well as fun for the adults. Perhaps this was a naive idea considering they were taking two year-old Charlie and three year-old Phoebe.

As a twenty-something non-parent, I wondered how I would react to 'Are We Nearly There Yet?'. Would it make me never want to procreate? I haven't had a UK holiday since I was seven and I wondered what this book would have to offer me. After reading this book, there are plenty of places I'd like to visit and it definitely reinforced to me the joys (and tribulations) of parenting.

It is important to note that 'Are We Nearly There Yet?' is not their guidebook. That said, it does mention plenty of UK attractions. That's more to give you an idea of the setting for the dramas that occur.

'Are We Nearly There Yet' catalogues a five-month trip that is heart-warming and funny. There's drama as well as comedy and I frequently found myself laughing aloud at Hatch's anecdotes. The book also chronicles Hatch's father's final few months of life - and Hatch's feelings about this. There were plenty of tears as well as laughs. This book is a lovely tribute to his father, Sir David Hatch.

Whilst reading this book, I felt inspired to do something similar which is something I would never usually consider.

Even though Hatch doesn't sugar-coat the realities of travelling with two small children, he does paint the picture of a happy family who, most of the time, adore each other. The kids are full of character and Ben and Dinah's relationship is a wonderful inspiration. She's scared of turtles, he's a hypochondriac - what could go wrong? This book is a no-holds-barred account of parenthood, marriage and travelling.

It is one of the best books I have read in ages.
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Sep 27, 2012 LindyLouMac rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

Are We Nearly There Yet actually turned out to be far from the funny travel memoir it is portrayed as! In fact at times I found the travel aspect a little tedious. Ben, his wife and children spent five months travelling around the UK conducting research for a family friendly guide book they had been commissioned to write. Yes it is a very funny story about the families adventures on this journey, although I would not have been happy if my children had been as badly behaved as these two. Maybe th...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Alison rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, non-fiction

Very enjoyable tale of a family's trip round Britain. Ben is commissioned to write a travel guide about travelling round Britain with children, so he and his wife set off for three
months with their two young kids Phoebe (4) and Charlie (2). The sections about the places they visit are interesting but what really gives this book staying power is the family bonding that takes place, and the things that happen while they're away including Ben's father's illness and subsequent death.

Would have scor...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Found the freebie high-fives between Ben and his wife irksome and I skipped the longer observations about their children...let's be honest here most tales about our children are really only fascinating to the parents.

In spite of that, some really lovely and touching writing about losing a parent and finding yourself in your family. The many humorous scrapes and mishaps en route reminded me of Emma Kennedy's The Tent, The Bucket and Me and I dearly wish that Ben's alternative text about various U...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Elaine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

This was the first book in a long while that made me cackle out loud. It follows the Hatch family (husband, wife and two under-5s) on their trek around the country to write a guidebook. As can be imagined, chaos and hilarity reigns. Parallel to their quest, however, is the touching story of the author's relationship with his sick father and the problem of balancing family angst with his bizarre mission.

This book is an absolute must-read for anyone with children, to whom it will all be rather fam...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

First of all I need to say this ... Whatever possessed Ben and his wife, Dinah, to agree to travel over 8,000 miles in the space of 5 months with two children under 4?! I am a mother of three under 7 and I think they're mad!

Now, having said that I will say this ... I LOVED THIS BOOK!

I discovered this book after Ben followed me on twitter recently. As I always do with new followers I checked his profile and saw he was a writer. Then I checked the link to his book and read the reviews. I decided t...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Helen Stothard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I came across this book from a mention on Twitter and reading through the reviews thought it well worth a go, I certainly wasn't disappointed and would have finished it the same day if I could have kept my eyes open, it was that good.

I laughed and I cried, Ben certainly has no shame in some of the information he shares! It's heartbreaking reading the sub story of his fathers illness, but as a parent myself, I empathised with many of the situations the family find themselves in.

If you want a crac...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Sarah Round rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved this, happy, sad & everything in between x

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Mar 23, 2012 Roger Neilson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was rated as very funny indeed. I have to say it started well and had moments, but the premise could have become repetitive and it did. There's only so many variations on kids and attractions visiting that occur. Most parents will identify with many of the situations.

However the alternative story that is interwoven was painful to read - to the point where I had to stop for a while.

I think its a case of a book being hyped for one aspect, which is not the actuality of the narrative at all....more

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Nov 28, 2011 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You should read this lovely book. Seamlessly slipping across genre boundaries, it is a memoir about family life, disguised as a travel book, that reads like a novel. It is about all the big things in life - family, identity, love and death. But the travel book structure enables it to escape from the usual formulas. It doesn't need the 'big plot', the inevitable 'twist'. It just unfolds effortlessly, and its very refreshing.

The book is laugh-out-loud funny in several places. My absolute favourit...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Nette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A funny memoir about an epic family road trip -- the author is brutally honest about the joys and the horrors of being stuck in a car with a four-year-old and a three-year-old who are also pretty talented at dismantling museum exhibits and hotel rooms. Warning to those just looking for a light read: there's also a subplot about what happens when the author's own father (who sounds awesome) falls ill in the middle of their journey. It's bittersweet and harrowing and it brought back a lot of memor...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Sheila by: Author

I loved reading this book. It was light, easy reading, funny and at the same time inciteful. Anyone whose had children would find it easy to identify with Ben and Dinah's experience of travelling with children although perhaps no everyone would be brave enough to take children on the road travelling for five months! As you read through the book you identify with the family so much so that they become old friends. However, amusing though the book is, it is not without its pathos too as Ben takes...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Peter Carroll rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had some issues with this book initially, but it won me over in the end.

I found the travelogue elements of the book rather uninspiring at times - they were visiting the kind of places I avoid at all costs, like small museums dedicated to niche subjects I have little interest in, zoos, theme parks and so on. I also found it hard to warm to the author's children, who sounded over-indulged and incredibly badly behaved throughout.

However...

There is another theme throughout, which is the author's...more

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