To Australia and back in a Mini

In 1964 John Pollard bought a new car. It was a Mini, and it cost just £505. 205,000 miles later he is still driving it. Mr Pollard, 59, said: 'I bought the car when I was a student. I wanted to travel. In 1966 I drove to Moscow, Finland, and the Arctic Circle. I married in 1967 and then my wife and I drove the Mini to Australia via India. I found a job in Sydney, and we stayed in Australia for 30 years. We used the Mini all the time. Last month we came back to England to visit our families and of course, we came in the Mini. We drove via Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Tibet and China, Mongolia, and Russia.'

Mr and Mrs Pollard love their old Mini and don't want to sell it and buy a new one. 'Next month we're returning to Australia but we are not driving, we are travelling by plane. The Mini is travelling by ship. We decided to give it a rest for the return journey because it is very old and tired.'

Level: Beginner

Book: New Headway

Year: 2000