Dean Nicholson, a man from Dunbar, Scotland, is cycling around the world with an unusual travel buddy – his adopted kitten. After quitting his day job last September, Nicholson set off to travel the world by bicycle. Three months in, he encountered a stray kitten.
Nicholson had traversed nine countries by the time he came across Nala. On his way to the Bosnian border crossing into Montenegro, Nicholson heard her meowing and turned around to see her playfully chasing after his bicycle.
Speaking to INSIDER, Nicholson said, ‘I was cycling up a steep hill so wasn’t going that fast and had my music system on the back of my bike playing music, there was a break in the song and I heard this meowing coming from behind me.
‘I stopped and here’s this wee kitten chasing me up the hill trying to get my attention. I gave her some of my pesto, which was all I had, and she wouldn’t leave my side since.’
Nicholson took Nala to a vet, who informed him that the kitten was roughly 7 weeks old and without a microchip. She was then dewormed, vaccinated, chipped and immunized to get through border control. Nicholson then purchased equipment for the bike that would comfortably house Nala. A friend of Nicholson’s set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the vet bills and the pair’s adventures.
Since the adoption, Nicholson’s daily routine has not changed too much. While in Himara, a town in Albania, Nala got to experience being on the water when Nicholson took her kayaking – a true testament to the pair’s bond and Nala’s trust in her human.
There have however, been a few bumps in the road along the way. Nala caught a minor chest infection while the pair were in Albania, a result of cold, rainy weather that left her soaked. The two spent three weeks in a hostel while she recovered and they waited out the chilly weather.
Around the end of January, the pair made it to Greece. They set up camp in Igoumenítsa, before moving on to Préveza and eventually on to Athens. After spending time in the country’s capital, they moved on to the dreamy island of Santorini, where they are currently staying.
Nicholson is working as a kayaking guide for the summer season, taking Nala with him when he can. To ensure her safety, Nicholson has bought her a cat-sized life jacket. On 10 April, Nala was taken to the vet to be spayed and seems to be recovering well from the procedure.
To stay updated on the duo’s adventures, follow @1bike1world on Instagram.
Image source: Instagram @1bike1world
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