Britain's oldest man made his first visit to London yesterday at the age of 101. Mr. John Evans had never found the time or money to make the trip from his home in Forest Fach, near Swansea. But, when British Rail offered him an all-expenses-paid birthday trip to the capital he just could not refuse. He arrived at Paddington Station and smartly turned out in his best suit, favorite Panama hat and a red rose in his buttonhole. "It's very exciting. There's no doubt about it," he said. Until yesterday he had never been far from home, except for one trip to Aberdeen. "But I've been on the seas to that faraway land called Ilfracombe 21 miles from home," he joked. Mr Evans, who spent 60 years working as a miner in South Wales, almost made the journey to London once before, at the turn of the century. "There was a trip to the White City but it was ten shillings return from Swansea -- too much I thought. All my money went to the family then," he said. During the next two days Mr. Evans will be taken on a short tour of London to see the sights. Top of his list is a visit to the House of Parliament organized by his MP, Mr. Gareth Wardell. The only arrangement he does not care for is the wheelchair provided for him if he gets tired. "I don't like the chair -- people will think I am getting old. " he said. His secret for a long and healthy life has been well publicized -- no wine, no tobacco and no anger. Before setting off from Swansea with his 76-year-old son, Amwell, he said jokingly, "I'm glad to see they've given me a return ticket. " Mr Evans didn't like the wheelchair simply because   _  .
he was not used to traveling in it the wheelchair was of poor quality and not easy to operate he actually preferred walking to sitting in it at home he thought he was still young enough to manage the trip