Nala's World: One man, his rescue cat and a bike ride around the world by Dean NicholsonSynopsis: “Discover the heartwarming true story of a life-changing friendship between a man and his rescue cat, Nala, as they adventure together on a bike journey around the world — from the Instagram phenomenon @1bike1world. When 30-year-old Dean Nicholson set off from Scotland to cycle around the world, his aim was to learn as much as he could about our troubled planet. But he hadn’t bargained on the lessons he’d learn from his unlikely companion. Three months after leaving home, on a remote road in the mountains between Montenegro and Bosnia, he came across an abandoned kitten. Something about the piercing eyes and plaintive meowing of the bedraggled little cat proved irresistible. He couldn’t leave her to her fate, so he put her on his bike and then, with the help of local vets, nursed her back to health. Soon on his travels with the cat he named Nala, they forged an unbreakable bond — both curious, independent, resilient and adventurous. The video of how they met has had 20 million views and their Instagram has grown to almost 750k followers — and still counting. Experiencing the kindness of strangers, visiting refugee camps, rescuing animals through Europe and Asia, Dean and Nala have already learned that the unexpected can be pretty amazing. Together with Garry Jenkins, writer with James Bowen of the bestselling A Street Cat Named Bob, Dean shares the extraordinary tale of his and Nala’s inspiring and heart-warming adventure together.”

My Review

I loved this memoir about a Scottish cyclist and his rescue tabby cat, it was such a lovely read.

I’ve had this book on my TBR for a while now, and I’m so pleased that I’ve finally read it, as it really is the heartwarming read the synopsis says.

The author, Dean Nicholson originally set out to cycle around the globe with his friend Ricky, but they ended up going their separate ways quite early on into their journey. If that hadn’t happened I doubt very much that Dean would’ve come across Nala, and their lives would’ve been very different. 

I thoroughly enjoyed following Dean and Nala’s journey across Europe and some of Central Asia. I loved all the positive reactions they had as they travelled from country to country, and how Dean was inspired a by Syrian refugee in Greece to do more with his life than just travelling.

It was really interesting to see how the Instagram post when he found Nala, went viral, and how his social media followers have enabled him to donate money to animal charities around the world.

This is such a positive book. I really didn’t want it to end, so I’ve subscribed to his YouTube Channel so I can keep up to date with their latest adventures.

Highly recommended if you enjoy uplifting nonfiction, or just want to do some armchair travel. 

Book 2 of 20 Books of summer 2025