Nala's World

 Nala's World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride around the Globe (2020) by Dean Nicholson w/Garry Jenkins

A heart-warming story about Dean's journey with Nala, his rescue cat. When Dean Nicholson begins his biking journey around the world 2018, he has a human companion. His best mate Ricky and he had come up with the awesome idea to bike around the world. They left Dunbar, Scotland in September with big plans, but there came a parting of the ways in less than three months and Dean was continuing the journey alone. Then, in the mountains of Bosnia, he found a new companion--a tiny kitten abandoned by the side of the road. 

Dean had always had a soft spot for animals and couldn't just leave her there. He managed to smuggle her across the border and into Montenegro and from that point on he was committed to keeping her by his side. He took her to a vet, got her set with an official pet passport, named her Nala, and became an internet sensation. Soon people from all over the world were watching and cheering on the exploits of Nala and her human, Dean. Through the journey, Dean learns a lot about himself and through Nala he finds a deeper purpose for his life. He learns about the influence of instagram and Youtube and is able to use Nala's appeal to viewers to set up funding for various charities near and dear to his heart.

He also learns about the goodness of people from all walks of life, all nationalities, and all religions. How alike we all are despite the media's and politician's efforts to enforce (and sometimes demonize) our difference. Dean's journey with Nala is more than just covering miles--it is a journey of spirit and an expansion of worldview that he shares with us. It is less a travelogue (so those looking for detailed descriptions of the countries and countryside may be disappointed) than an honest telling of one man's journey to find himself and a sense of  purpose. ★★★★

First lines: There is a wise old saying where I come from in Scotland: What's fer ye'll no go past ye. Some things in life are destined to happen.

Last lines: We'd see where the road took us. As long as we stuck together, I knew we'd be fine.