Biography
The United States became Matt’s second home in 2006 when he spent 6 months studying on an exchange programme at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. While Oklahoma wasn’t the most action packed destination, Matt spent a lot of time getting to grips with true west culture and also travelled to parts of Texas and Kansas.
Before studying at University Matt also travelled extensively in the United States, on a number of visits, taking in the awesome sights of the Grand Canyon to sampling some of the most breath-taking wildlife across the plains of the everglades in Florida to name a few.
After his degree Matt worked in travel, specialising in the United States and Europe before pursuing a career in radio journalism. After gracing the airwaves with his dulcet news-reading tones for a number of years, Matt couldn't shake his passion for travel and the US and returned to the travel industry, joining Audley in May 2012.
My Most Memorable Experience
"Watching the sunset on Monument Valley in southern Utah was always something I wanted to do, having grown up a big fan of 'Westerns' and all things Clint Eastwood.
I was lucky on my last visit to the States to visit the valley and take a chance to enjoy the view. Seeing the shadows chase their way through the barren yet beautiful landscape while sitting in our open top guided jeep was a spectacular experience.
Combined with the ancient Indian culture surrounding the valley, it really was an incredibly moving and peaceful sight."
My Favourite Destination
"With such a diverse and huge country, this was very hard to choose, but I think Boston and Cape Cod really stands out as one of my very favourites.
As a bit of a history buff, the city has fascinating stories to tell, brought to life through one of their biggest attractions, the freedom trail. The trail highlights that unlike some of the other east coast cities like New York or Washington D.C, Boston is easily digestible on a tight time budget.
Coupled with the amazing restaurants to suit all tastes and the spectacular coasts of Massachusetts and the arm of Cape Cod, a trip to Boston won’t leave you disappointed."
My Favourite Accommodation
"My favourite hotel in the states isn’t really a hotel at all but a historic, award winning dude ranch nestled beneath the majestic 14,000-foot peaks of the Sangre De Cristo Mountain Range.
The Zapata Ranch offers a fantastic taste of a real Colorado ranching lifestyle, combining ruggedly beautiful scenery with high quality food, freshly prepared on site in a relaxed and intimate setting. The ranch’s 12 rooms are superbly looked after and extremely comfortable. I spent most of my evenings sitting under the stars listening to wildlife in the ranch’s hot-tub!
Zapata offers an amazing experience in one of the most unique American locations."
