REVIEW #38: NALA’S WORLD – A CHARMING TALE FOR CAT LOVERS

Nala’s World
By Dean Nicholson
Hodder and Stoughton, 2020

From the very first sentence, I felt confident I would be absolutely satisfied with this book. Dean Nicholson started with an old Scottish saying which I had to look up for a literal translation: Whit’s fur ye’ll no go past ye. What on earth did that mean? Turns out it translates literally as ‘what’s for you will not go by you.’ In other words, whatever is meant to be, will be. One sentence in and I’ve already learnt something. I continued with a big smile on my face because I also knew from the title page of Part 1 that I would be touring Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania and Greece, all countries I have never visited, so my learning curve was destined to be steep which is just the way I like it! Although it was only a virtual adventure, I was champing at the bit to get started.

Dean learnt two lessons that I have also learnt in life. If you want to have a genuine experience of another country and culture, travel alone; it is more conducive to striking up conversations with locals than when you are travelling with a companion. Though, I would also add that you need to live at least seven years in another culture and experience at least one election, in order to have any insight, at all, into the way the people of that country think and act. The second lesson, which most of us learn when we become parents of children or pets, is that there is nothing better for the development of our character than someone else, besides ourselves, becoming the centre of our world. Being responsible for Nala transformed Dean’s character. He had started out as a reckless, pot-smoking party animal and become a serious guardian of a kitten whose needs were paramount in Dean’s decisions. Dean recognized the changes in himself, acknowledging that ‘Nala had made [his} journey so much richer.’ Moreover, he could see he was ‘more responsible (and) more thoughtful’ since her arrival had given his life more ‘purpose.’ In short, he declared ‘she’d been the best thing to happen to [him] for a long, long time.’ Later, as they celebrated their first year together in Bulgaria, Dean admitted that he felt as though he had ‘been through a crash course at the university of life.’

THE ADVENTURES OF A WELL-TRAVELLED CAT AND HER BESOTTED OWNER.

Another important aspect of the journey was the growing awareness of social issues that often cross national boundaries. Things like the terrible plastic pollution of our seas and waterways, the heartless abandonment of animals, and the life that many refugees spend in limbo, as they try to find a path to the future open for them. One conversation he had in Greece with a Syrian refugee kept replaying in his mind. ‘Be a blessings to others and you will be blessed,’ he had said. Dean certainly experienced being blessed by many others on his journey and rescuing Nala, and his decision to take her on this adventure with him, turned out to be an enormous blessing he could not have anticipated, as he nervously crossed the first two borders, unsure of what would happen to Nala or him, should his stowaway be discovered.

Surprisingly, Dean’s off-grid-style trip landed him right in the middle of a digital storm, when his story was picked up by Dodo, sending millions of Instagram views his way. Becoming an accidental influencer gave him an entirely unexpected issue to deal with on his big adventure to adulthood and maturity. Though skeptical at first, he soon discovered that fame could lighten his load at times. For example, less than an hour after posting his latest misadventure on Instagram, in the small Turkish town of Sivas, one of his followers came to find him sleeping on a park bench and offered him a bed for the night and a tour of the local highlights the next day.

Despite his digital profile, Dean learnt to appreciate the simple and natural things in life. He noticed that, despite being a poor country, the people of Georgia were kind and hospitable and the children were happy to make their own fun without expensive toys or equipment, just as he had observed when he came across the old hotel housing refugees in Greece. He also discovered that same kindness to strangers extended to animals as well, when he discovered the power he had to help those organizations he came across on his travels that were devoted to restoring the health of stray animals and finding them good homes. Through his social media presence, Dean was able to distribute funds to many organizations devoted to the environment and the welfare of animals. The online community that was following him and Nala proved to be a marvellous resource that enabled him to tackle a calendar to raise more funds for animal welfare. And, of course, he made many friends along the track which helped to overcome the loneliness of life on the road with only a cat for a companion, albeit one to whom he attributed miraculous human qualities, even to nursing him through sunstroke and delirium.

Cat lovers will be charmed by the relationship between Dean and Nala. He credited her with teaching him how ‘to enjoy the most precious moments in life’ and to be himself and give himself permission to do whatever he feels like ‘and tune out everything else.’ Moreover, it had been his concern for Nala that had driven him to raise money for other animals at risk and draw attention to the need for funds to support others in their work. Most of all, he acknowledged that it had been Nala who had taught him about the true nature and value of friendship, especially about being there for your friends when it really counts. This is an easy and heartwarming virtual ride with an affable young man who showed great perseverance and compassion on his journey. I have no doubt that many who read this book will develop a case of itchy feet and start planning their own round-the-world adventures.