Man travels 14,000 miles to have final beer with dying friend

By Elizabeth Hunter

A man traveled 14,000 miles for a day trip to share a final pint with his dying friend.

Peter Gould, 82, was diagnosed with terminal cancer in December.

His friend of over 40 years, Bob Walker heard the news and jumped on a plane.

Bob then traveled over 7,000 miles from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Peter's hometown in Arbroath, Scotland, for a pint on January 16.

The pair, who met while aircraft engineers in Papua New Guinea, shared cans of their favourite beer and reminisced about old times - before Bob made the long journey back home the following day

Peter said: "I'm very grateful for what Bob did - he didn't have to do it."

Bob said: "I knew I was coming home to see him as soon as I heard the news.

"There aren't many opportunities where you can actually say goodbye to people, so I really wanted to do the journey.

"He's been with me for 40 years through the same career in aviation."

Bob, now 67, and Peter met in 1986, becoming fast friends.

After several years in Malaysia, they parted ways while travelling the world in various jobs - but remained in contact.

In 1996, they reunited, both taking jobs at Manchester Airport, where their families also became close.

Peter said: "We started off in Papua New Guinea.

"We worked there for two or three years around New Guinea.

"After that, Bob joined Airbus and I joined Malaysian Airlines, and we went our separate ways until we went round the globe a bit - and then Manchester Airport."

Bob added: "I ended up in Manchester where he was working as well.

"My daughter was born in Manchester, and my wife was a long way from her family.

"Pete and his wife Marie really helped out and supported us very much, so they became very good friends.

"After that, I shot off elsewhere - but Pete's been very good at keeping in contact. He was always calling on a regular basis and chatting.

"He's always been an anchor - somebody who's always there."

Before his trip, Bob even managed to find a pack of the pair's favorite beers, which they used to drink together in Papua New Guinea.

"This particular brew is very, very popular there - at our parties and celebrations and get-togethers, we drank an awful lot of South Pacific Lager.

"I contacted someone who very kindly said he had a six-pack left.

"I wrote him an email with the reason why, and he said that's a great story, and donated the beers.

"The lager took us right back to 40 years ago when I went down there to work."

Peter's daughter Amanda described her surprise at Bob's heartwarming gesture.

She said: "He said he was coming over, but I didn't actually believe someone would do that!

"I was trying not to get Dad's hopes up, because Bob had Visa stuff to sort out.

"It's such a long way - but he did.

"It was lovely seeing my Dad sat there talking with his old mucker - they've got so many years of history.

"He's got friends all over the world who have all been reaching out and having video calls - but what an incredible friend he is to have made a 15,000 mile round trip to come and see him."

But Bob says the journey was more than worth it for his old pal, adding: "He was there for us when we really needed him in Manchester.

"He's great company - a straight shooter. His friendship is very important."