Adventures in the marvellous Mini of doom!

Dave Smart

Part one:
Nearly ready to go

It’s Friday night and at long last, after several setbacks, I’m nearly ready to go.

I’ve just found out how awkward it is to have a meal when you’ve packed up the majority of your belongings into a 40ft container. Steak au poivre and chunky chips, followed by white Belgian chocolate and raspberry sponge, washed down by a cheeky rose, all served on plastic camping plates with a one pint plastic mug for the rose, I wonder if this is a sign of things to come…

Hopefully, tomorrow I’ll finally move out of the house, and with most of my belongings in storage I’ll spend one more night in the UK (with a spot of Salsa) and hopefully on Sunday get a sailing from Dover to Calais and be off.

Initially, I just wanted to cross the channel and folow my nose, but I’ve got a rough plan for the first week, head to Prague via a few nights in Berlin and other (hopefully interesting) places on the way.

Why Prague? Well Keith Adams and Andrew Elphick are flying to Prague next weekend to meet up with the end of a Banger Rally to bring a car (or two?) back to the UK.

I’m not sure if they have something already in mind and arranged, or if they’re just gonna see what makes it in one piece, and offer the occupants of something interesting a few Koruna/Euro/Quid to buy their trusty steed, and thus save it from the depths of Spido’s scrapyard in down-town Prague.

Anyway the rose seems to be working, so I’m off to bed, lets see how things pan out next week

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Keith Adams

Editor and creator AROnline at AROnline

Created www.austin-rover.co.uk in 2001 and built it up to become the world's foremost reference source for all things BMC, Leyland and Rover Group, before renaming it AROnline in 2007.

Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...

Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.

Latest posts by Keith Adams (see all)

• Opinion : Why Roy Haynes was ahead of his time - 20 February 2019
• Concepts and prototypes : Austin ADO22 (1966-1968) - 19 February 2019
• History : BMC, BL, Rover and other Development Codes - 19 February 2019