Naturists

When my parents were away on holiday for a week during my twenties (not at a naturist resort), I stayed in their house to look after the cat. Before work on the morning before they were due home, I was stoking the fire and emptying the ash when the cat did a great leap at me. Terrified that I would drop hot embers on him, I slung the container sideways, lost my balance, put my hands out – and they went straight into the fire. When I went to get my bus fare out of my bag on the way to the hospital I couldn't manage and asked the bus driver to help, displaying my palms – he fainted.

Anyway, with all the bandages and stuff, I had to wear rubber gloves whenever I bathed or even washed my face for rather a while. I lived in a fairly second-rate flat that didn't have a shower – but would have had to wear rubber gloves for that too. The bathroom window was not frosted glass and I often wondered what our neighbours thought if they caught sight of this completely naked woman soaping her body while wearing bright yellow rubber gloves.

Rubber gloves very wise, nellie....

It would certainly have made my packing today easier
But what would the Moslem countries thought of it?

Well I would give it a go,no packing and deciding what to take and wear,no dirty laundry to take home,your hygiene towel could double up for a modesty shield,and you could take off your glasses,so you couldn't see people looking,I like the idea of not looking who or what I am and being judged by my clothing,obviously as a super model I would encounter jealousy,but hey I can cope with that...would also wear my rubber gloves,as you never know when shaking hands what you might encounter..

oh I Don"t know there are some pretty interesting bodies out there . [grin grin]

It's people's faces that are different and interesting.

At least with moustaches to focus on you'd know where to look! Alas I tend more towards being best in a burkini as modelled by Nigella last summer!

grannyknot, what hoot, know what u mean though.

I was about 30 and looking at my best then - so maybe that made me less shy. Not sure how I would feel now - would be worried about scarring everybody!

Agreed 'weird' is not a nice word - 'wacky/eccentric' defo over 'boring' any day.

granjura . DH would probably be quite comfortable sans clothes but I may be a bit more reticent. I'm sure it's a great leveller. We stumbled across a bunch of naturists on a beach once in Egypt, and with our "old eyes" and from a distance at first thought they were beached albino walrus seals. Well a lot of the men had moustaches.

flopsy Some human bodies are pretty disgusting. However, I did say silly rather than disgusting. I don't think they can be both at the same time.

absent your comment about men looking silly reminded me of my grandmother, who used to say that the human body was a disgusting thing, especially the male one.

My son says that I'm weird, but I think he really means 'wacky'! Not a bad thing, and he takes after me!

I just think most men look so silly without their clothes on.

Iv'e been naturist camping several times in the past and had a great time. No clothes is a great leveller along with getting a great tan. Two most memorable were south of Bordeux (?) on the Atlantic coast and in the Ardeche. We met so many interesting people, sharing food, wine etc. As for hygeine, towels to sit on are defiantely the order of the day.

Hmm...certainly wouldn't like to be 'boring', but you have to be careful with 'weird'. I mean, there's good weird and bad weird
I'd settle for eccentric!

Neither ! LAL . Going out now for a cuppa and a natter with friend . bye

One family on the beach was North AFrican, and played sand ping pong near us every day. Our youngest did comment, very loudly, but in English that the daddy had a huge 'zizi'! Unfortunately it seems he did understand English - and sort of blushed. Must say it was impressive and had never seen anything like it

Now for a serious question. If you had to be accused of being 'boring' or 'weird' - which would you prefer. I'll go for 'weird' lol.

I have a friend whose parents used to go to their remote cottage in France every summer and spend three weeks entirely in the nude. Dangerous when you are self-catering, I would have thought - you certainly wouldn't want to do any deep-fat frying.

My friend incidentally, is lovely but quite weird.

We were camping in Le Lavandou in 1961, and heard that there was a naturist colony on the Isle de Levant, just off the coast from Hyeres, and that it had superb beaches, so we took a boat trip over, expecting that the naturists were in a secluded cove somewhere. There were a lot of very tanned people on the little boat, with knapsacks.

We approached the little landing-stage and went ashore. The first thing we saw was a stand selling "le minimum" - tiny G-strings in male and female versions - manned (no, definitely womanned) by a bronzed beauty. Most of the passengers were stripping off as they disembarked.

After the first shock we felt distinctly over-dressed, and removed all but the trunks and bikini we were wearing under our clothes. By the time we had walked for a couple of hundred yards in the sun along sandy paths bordered by perfumed maquis we were so blase that when a couple walked toward us with matching long hair held back by red-indian style headbands we were so impressed by the coiffure that we did not notice that was all they were wearing.

It was a paradise, marred only by the occasional plump white slug with a camera, lurking in the dunes.

We became naturists by 'accident' once - and it turned out to be one of the best family holidays we ever had. We went to Argelès on holiday and went to the local beach - it was awful, noisy, music blaring, litter, smokers, and topless + g-string type bikinis. After a couple of hours we had enough - and we spoted another beach about 1 km to the East that seemed much less crowded. So off we went- and then we realised it was a naturist beach, so we turned back.

After another hour of misery on the other beach- we laughed and said 's** this for a game of soldiers' and back we trampled. It felt a bit weird for the first hour or so - but it was so quiet and lots of kids playing, that we soon relaxed. Our girls were about 7 and 5 - and they were perfectly happy. Never been so brown all over in my life again - and OH did get sunburnt where he shouldn't have - but it was great. Never did it again, and never felt the 'urge' as it were. But never say never.

yes I had a sudden flashback to an episode of Sex and the City where Charlotte was appalled that her husband (?) sat on white chairs with a bare behind. Elegran I am not sure I shall look at white upholstery in the same way again. I am also giggling at the idea of walking around with a little towel.

Oh dear - if we ever do go for it I am sure I shall spend half my time hiding behind a curtain and the other half in fits of giggles. I refuse to consider the idea of leaning over the freezer in the on site supermarket

An episode of "The hotel Inspector" featured a naturist spa and hotel. They had white leather armchairs (or maybe vinyl, difficult to distinguish on the screen) ans the proprietor seemed to spend most of his time washing them down (in the altogether). The place was immaculate.

I would be worried about sitting on a leather chair and my b*m sticking to it,or on a hot chair in the sun and burning my b*m...seriously I had often wondered about the hygiene side of things.

I can't imagine anything worse! I feel chilly at the best of times, with clothes on...