The dream boat became the actual boat
Riley bought the sailboat he had saved for. Then a day sail became an invitation.
Read the storyFIBI / File 04People · Travel
He left on a bike. He gained a co-pilot.
Story subjects
Dean Nicholson and Nala
Dean set off from Scotland to cycle the world. Near the Bosnia–Montenegro border, a kitten ran after his bike. The route stayed open; the passenger list changed.
Dean Nicholson left Dunbar in September 2018 to cycle the world. He had a bike and an open-ended route. Three months later, near the Bosnia–Montenegro border, he heard meowing. A kitten was following him.
The encounter changed the practical details of the trip. Dean took the kitten to a vet, became her registered owner and named her Nala. She rode at the front of his bike as they continued together.
There is a particular kind of freedom in setting off without knowing every turn ahead. Dean’s plan was to keep cycling. Meeting Nala did not close the route; it gave him someone to share it with.
A landscape image for the setting of this retelling, not a photograph of Dean, Nala or their journey.
Behind the retelling
The story in Dean’s own words
This is a FIBI editorial retelling based on Dean Nicholson’s public account at 1bike1world. It is not a FIBI interview, a contribution from Dean or an endorsement by him.
For more of the journey, read his account directly.