August 31st, 2019

David and Tom blog may be found here

David and Tom Bergers crossed Russia from Anapa on the Black Sea coast to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk off the shore of Japan in our Cessna 185 in September 2019.

Here what they told us about their Russian experience:

"My son Tom and I crossed Russia from Anapa on the Black Sea coast to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk off the shore of Japan in our Cessna 185 in September 2019. It was one of the greatest experiences of our lives. The trip was overseen by MAK General Aviation Services. There are obstacles to be overcome, arrangements to be made and changed as circumstances dictate and all in a language of which few foreign pilots have any knowledge. But MAK General Aviation Services team made it seem easy. Nothing was too much trouble. No difficulty was insuperable. We had a smooth and enjoyable trip and the whole thing was a blast from start to finish. If you’re thinking about it, then don’t think about it, just do it, but make sure you do it with MAKGAS. You won’t regret it."

Tom and David now have many friends in Russia.

For example, Anatoly, the airport manager, and his assistant, Slava, have been looking after Tom and David l at Ust'-Barguzin. One day they even erected a perimeter around the aircraft to prevent any passing juggernauts colliding with it.

(Spoiler: the only moving objects Berger's have seen on the airfield that three days, apart from themselves, were four very friendly stray dogs.)

And Galina who had never seen her town from the air. Galina and her husband, Alexander, own the guesthouse Bergers were staying in. She is a teacher in the local school and her husband used to work for the National Park. She is always smiling, speaks excellent English and is the best cook you can imagine.

Alexander will take you on great excursions in the local area, including by boat to hot springs right on the edge of the lake.

And here Bergers themselves describe their journey, and we really love this text!

Keen followers of our story will have found in our postings no tales of derring-do, no hardship, no records broken or attempted. There was no grand purpose to this journey, no great cause to be supported. No records were set, attempted or even considered. No sponsors’ labels were affixed to the machine and no urgent motivational speeches will be given to the middle managers of any large corporations by its pilots. The journey was a simple one, from A to B and then on to C and D and it was undertaken no more nor less than because it pleased us to do so; and because we were so fortunate as to be able to. Its heroes are not its pilots or any behind the scenes ‘backroom battler’, tearing their hair out and pulling off miracles to keep the show on the road, but the ordinary people we met across the globe, whose friendship and warmth swept us on our way, as people have done for their fellows for so many thousands of years.

MAK General Aviation Services team was happy to work with Tom and David Bergers. Already miss them!

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