That magnificent GP and his flying machine

Vodka 'saved the day' in Russia for Dr Dave Berger and son Tom on their lap around the world
Dave and Tom Berger
Dr Dave Berger (right) and son Tom. Picture: Facebook

Broome-based GP Dr Dave Berger has touched down in WA after flying around the world ‘the wrong’ way, in a tiny single-engine aircraft, with his son Tom as co-pilot.

It was a 40,000km journey that would see the pair chase horses off runways, learn the true value of vodka and be touched by the friendship and warmth of people everywhere.

“When we started the journey, we thought it was unrealistic … we thought ‘how are we going to get home to Australia?’,” Dr Berger told ABC online.

“It felt like a very long way home,” said Dr Berger, a district medical officer in emergency medicine at Broome Hospital, whose specialty is general practice.