Happy Nude Year 2011

 Best wishes for 2011 

Nakation 2010 - Le Chateau Naturiste B&B

We headed to Le Chateau for the last few days of our 2010 Nakation.

Le Château is our favourite Naturist B&B just 2 and 1/2 hours from Sydney.

It is like a mini resort with pool, tennis court, spa, sauna and gym. Of course there is also a sports bar with billiard table to enjoy the time honored tradition of "happy hour".

Overlooking Nelson Bay it houses a maximum of 4 couples in themed bedrooms one with an ensuite the others share a bathroom.

Our hosts Twiggy and Jim were as usual very welcoming and we met up with 3 other couples staying there who once again were delightful company reinforcing the diversity of people that have found the joys of clothes free living.

The reality of the end of this break away is now upon us and on reflection we have been fortunate that, although the weather has been patchy, the vast majority of our time has been spent clothes-free in some unique and very beautiful places.

I must say the prospect of being back in the air-conditioned office with suit and tie Is not appealing.

We trust that the reviews and information that we have provided will help when you plan your next Nakation.

Nakation 2010 - Amazing Wollumbin Palms Retreat

Our next stop was Amazing Wollumbin Plams Retreat, booked as a surprise for my wife, nestled in the shadow of Mt Warning or Wollumbin its Aboriginal name. Another "Naturist friendly" resort.

We arrived and were shown the "Water Lodge" one of 3 lodges available on the property. This lodge has as its feature ceilings and timbers taken from the prayer rooms of a Royal building in Java and are reportedly 300 years old.

Surrounded by a verandah on 3 sides there is a kitchen/loungeroom with these vaulted ornamental ceilings, a breezeway which backs on to the rainforest and has a spa bath, BBQ and large table and chairs, then finally a bedroom again with the ornamental ceilings anf a king size bed suspended by chains from the ceiling.

Thankfully it is also tethered underneath so that it does not end up swinging too wildly when occupied ;-)

The bathroom had a shower recess that is full height glass on 2 sides that overlooks the forest and the creek that feeds a large dam that is in front of the lodge.

Our first night was not a good one as who would have known that my wife had an allergy to 300 year old teak!

Fortunately our hosts Cassey and Phil when told if the issue were able to make some changes and we moved for the following 3 nights to a lodge that was not made of timber but cut into the side of a hill that they call Earth.

This was a most unique experience and in many ways better than Water and it suited our Naturist lifestyle better by being even more private.

If you think of the Flintstone's house crossed with a 5 star lodge and you will start go get the picture.

From the bed you look out on to a delightful patio and lawn and then to a beautiful view if Mt Warning.

The lodge has skylights that protrude through the grassed roof above and next to where you park the car. Again there is an outdoor spa bath and also an external shower this time on a rear patio.

The inside bathroom is designed with a large grotto like shower recess that has a large inverted "U" shaped copper pipe arrangement with the shower head on the top and small spay heads down the side to provide a most unusual shower experience.

Before we leave the bathroom the toilet cistern has a fish-tank in the front section that is operated by an old fashioned lever that came originally from an English pub where it was used to pull beers.

Fresh baked bread is delivered daily and to provide the privacy of the guests it is delivered onto a table on the front patio via a hoist arrangement from the car park area above.

Although not inexpensive you will have a most unique experience without forfeiting the Naturist lifestyle. We can therefore recommend the Amazing Wollumbin Palms Retreat but would suggest a stay at the Earth lodge for the added privacy.

Heading south again we had another overnight stay at Sylvan Glade where we met a Melbourne couple. It never ceases to amaze me how friendly the people are that we meet at these Naturist B&Bs.

Nakation 2010 - Valleydale Cottage

Time to dust off the clothes as we made our way south again for a return visit to "Valleydale Cottage" in the hinterland behind Byron Bay.

Although not Naturist (per se) it is very Naturist friendly.

We spent 10 days, in 2 x 5day stays, there last year and did the same this time but as 10 days in a row.

The cottage has a single bedroom large lounge/dining room, fully equipped kitchen, nice bathroom with two shower heads, wide verandas all round and a wonderful new spa. There is nothing like looking up at the stars, or if overcast feeling the light rain on your face, with a glass of bubbly in hand and luxuriating in a warm spa, it does't get better than this!

Set back off the road the cottage it is very private so the only neighbours that you have are the cattle that wander past on occasion and the birds that visit.

We are therefore free to live naked in this beautiful environment and to walk the acres with with all your senses opened out, feeling the sun and breeze or light rain on the body and appreciating being so much closer to nature.

At dusk we would sit on the veranda and watch the sky change, the cows moving to their favourite spot for the evening, the noisy friarbird making his last visit to the grevilleas, the night sounds starting up and the call of the BBQ as we start to think of our evening meal.

One of the nice things about Valleydale Cottage is that there is no TV or DVD and phone reception is only available on the veranda at one end and then can be patchy. Now while this may be seen as a negative, it is in fact liberating especially for someone who is on call 24/7 in fact it is a relief. The great thing is that you really start to appreciate the conversations that arise without the background static of a TV.

All to soon it appeared (in a timeless sort of way) that it was time to leave. So we phoned our hosts Chris and Rosy as we left the cottage to say goodbye until our next stay.

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Nakation 2010 - boBRENE on Tamborine Naturist Retreat

We next headed to a Naturist retreat called boBRENE that we had heard great things about located near Mt Tamborine in Queensland.

Their website had stated that there was a variety of accommodation available and a phone call the previous day had secured us a stay on their luxury cottage.

We were fortunate as you normally have to book in advance but as we were staying mid-week we were in luck.

After the 5 1/2 hour run from Bowraville we arrived at boBRENE about 5 pm having followed the clear directions and our trusty GPS (that we have named "Bitch'n Betty")

What a delightful find, Bob and Rene gave us a big welcome from the spa which as we found out later was their customary spot at that hour of the afternoon.

Extricating himself Bob showed us the cottage and we settled ourselves in to what really is a home-away from home. All modern conveniences including sound system, TV / DVD Espresso Machine and on the front veranda a BBQ and beautiful Spa. After the drive a spa was certainly welcome.

The next morning we were greeted with light rain but warm enough to be clothes-free. Out the cottage window we saw a wallaby and joey nibbling on grass only metres away. A quick grab of the camera and we got some great shots.

In hindsight there was no hurry as these "locals" visit regularly which is a real joy although not when they eat Rene's Grevillea plants.

The bird life is also amazing King Parrots, lorrikeets, crows, ducks and many more.

With only a small part of the property developed I took a brief stroll in the bush clad only in sandals. I have spent many hours over the years bush walking but until today had not experienced the absolute joy of walking through our beautiful Australian bush as nature intended.

As with all our Naturist experiences how quickly one feels comfortable clothes-free in environments that have in the past just presumed to be clothed.

A couple from New Zealand arrived and on our last night we enjoyed a BBQ with them plus Bob and Rene at the games room using a wood fired BBQ a most enjoyable evening to conclude our stay.

Thanks Rene and Bob we plan to have a return visit to boBRENE as it is such a beautiful location with great amenities and hosts.

Nakation 2010 - Sylvan Glade Naturist B&B

Nakation 2010

We arranged holidays for most of November and decided that we would again head north from Sydney and to experience as much clothes-free time as possible, to revisit some places that we found last year and try out some new ones.

We have decided to give a brief summary of each of the places where we stayed during our Nakation with the view to assisting readers to plan their own naked getaway!

With a very wet end of October and start of November we decided that we needed to be flexible. With heavy rain up and down the coast we delayed our departure by a day. So over the next few posts we will look at a these naturist or naturist friendly places to stay.

Finally heading off we decided to overnight at Port Macquarie and then head north chasing warmer temperatures and the Sun.

The second and third weeks we had booked but the first week had became "flexible".

We had a list of Naturist places with us so we decided to make some phone calls.

Sylvan Glade Naturist B&B

Last year we had stayed at Sylvan Glade a naturist B&B at Bowraville so we contacted Maureen and Lindsay and fortunately they had a night free so we look a leisurely run up to Bowraville which is almost exactly halfway between Sydney and Brisbane.

Sylvan Glade is a beautiful home set on acreage and on the side of a hill over looking a picturesque valley. There are 2 rooms available both with ensuites and there is an in-ground pool and beautiful spa.

It was good to catch up with Lindsay and Maureen again and with a clearing sky we caught some sun in the afternoon then had a BBQ dinner with some most enjoyable conversation.

Breakfast is always a joy at Sylvan Glade with a beautifully cooked breakfast served on the veranda with the morning light playing on the valley below.

Ties that bind

I guess it is fair to say that my generation has grown up with the use of ties, from Primary School, through High School, the Air Force Cadets all had the requirement to wear ties. When I started work ties were the expected business dress along with a suit.

All my heroes growing up wore ties. If James Bond could wear a tie in Jamaica and not break a sweat how could I complain about wearing one on a stinking hot Summer day in Sydney. I just figured you had to be hot to be cool! (well an attempt at suave at the very least)

Video still of Sean Connery as James Bond, 007, in 1963's From Russia With Love.

(c) 1963, Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation.

 

Why then over the last 12 months have I been quick to remove this long time companion article, as even through the "dot com boom" I kept wearing a tie almost like a badge of honour. When that period came to an abrupt end and a conservative dress standards again became in vogue, I felt quietly justified.

 

Now unless you have external meetings a tie is optional and I have been going without it!

 

So again why the change in attitude?

 

Well I believe it is a result of our Naturist lifestyle, I can see now that clothes are a mask and I want to be free of these. A tie in particular is a fashion accessory and a badge of rank and I would prefer to be seen for who I really am, not what role I have or job I do.

 

So I now carry my tie in my suit pocket and wear it only when necessary.

 

Now if I could only not wear a suit or anything else for that matter, but I fear our office is not ready for that, unfortunately.

 

Relaxation



“Nudists believe that they have discovered a variation of human society, the importance of which goes far beyond the abandonment of the figleaf.”

Magnus Clarke  from Nudism in Australia Deakin University Press Victoria Australia 1982.(p 11)

I don't think that there would be many that would argue that there is an abundance of STRESS in our lives particularly our working lives.

In todays commercial world we are constantly contactable, with laptops, mobile phones, mobile e-mail then if they miss you on all that, there is also voice mail and with all that comes the subtle 24/7 work week.

Is the last thing you do at night check your Blackberry? What about social networking sites, feel compelled to keep your social status updated? 

We have been sold the lie that we can multi-task and we therefore load ourselves up with too many tasks and then feel stressed when they are not completed within an unrealistic time-frame.

All this came home to me when I was relaxing on our clothing optional beach this weekend and I felt that familiar comfortable feeling of the sun on my whole body, the light breeze keeping the temperature comfortable and the sounds of the waves and our beach friends as they conversed with each other.

Laying there I felt my entire body relax, and then after a few moments it relaxed even more, then even more after that! It was so noticeable just how much tension I had been holding in my body and it reminded me again how fortunate that we discovered this Naturist lifestyle and what a great antidote it is to this stressful work-a-day world.

Wandering Bares

We first saw a "Wandering Bares" sticker on a Winnebago owned by some, now nudist friends. I asked where they got the sticker and they said they crossed path with a nudist who was selling the stickers.

Now about 12 months later we have tracked down the creator of these stickers, John & Joan Clarke and have bought and now proudly display our own Wandering Bares sticker on our car!

We asked John what was the history behind the creation of this sticker and here is the response:

John writes:

To begin with, I am a nudist from way back in the early seventies, When I ,with wife and 4 kids joined the old Woodlands, out of Liverpool, Sydney.

Unfortunately, My wife died from breast cancer at 35 years old, leaving me with 4 young children to raise.

Fast forward then to 1986, where with the kids now all with jobs, me up on the Gold Coast, where Joan and I met and became an item. Although Joan had always been textile, she very easily adapted to the nudist lifestyle with me.

In early 1994 we settled on the secluded 40 acre bush block, now called Teatree Park, just out of Agnes Water, Qld. We lived in a caravan while I built our little cottage. When we moved into the house, we kept the caravan area tidy, and made it available as a camp area for travelling nudists. We did a lot of travelling to nudist resorts and beaches. Agnes Water beaches at those time was very secluded then. That was the main reason I had purchased this block in this area.

In 2002 we set off in our little Nissan poptop to travel to Darwin. Along the way we encountered a lot of the "Grey Nomads", as we camped each night in free bush camps. We discovered that the "Campervan and Motorhome Club Australia, had held their Annual Convention at Barcaldine the previous week, and a lot of Motorhomers were also on the way to Darwin.

Quite often as we shared a drink or two with these nomads, I would eye off some of them and think, "look at that couples tan. I bet they're nudists." Politeness, and fear of offending would deter me from asking them straight out. It was because of this that I would think,"wouldn't it be good if they had a sticker on their vehicle that would identify them to other nudists". I decided I would apply myself to trying to make this happen.

Upon our return home, I immediately joined the C.M.C.A. As they instigated various "chapters" in different districts, as well as special interest groups, such as "The Solo's" (nomads travelling alone), and the "Hi-Fi" group for the radio enthusiasts , I wrote to them proposing a nudist special interest group. It didn't even rate a reply. On making inquiries, I was told there were too many old prudes in the executive to even consider it. I decided to "go it alone"

I experimented with a few different designs and caricatures, running them past other nudists at various clubs and resorts, as well as friends, but none seemed to have that "bling" that would really catch on.

Finally, I formed a picture in my mind of what I thought would be an attractive logo. I went to a local graphic artist and went through some design books until we came across the little bear. I had her fill in the changes I wanted, the staff and bundle and such, until the "Wandering Bares" was created.

I liked it so much I forwarded it on to a local sign printer to print 100 stickers to test the reaction.

They immediately struck a chord with all I showed it to, and so the "Wandering Bares" were born.



They took on very well with many single male nudists. They found that it didn't come over as being "in your face" with prudes who would judge them as deviates or such because it was easily explained away to the curious as just a funny sticker that didn't know how to spell "bear". At the same time it was immediately recognised by other nudists they may meet on the road.

They have now been sent to nudists, not only all over Australia, but have sent small orders to the U.S.A. as well as the U.K. and of course N.Z. One description of the sticker that amused me was from an American couple who sent an order for the little "Hobo Bear".

It had never occurred to me that it could be seen as a "Hobo" nudist.

During our trip around Australia in 06-07 we encountered the stickers in many strange places. Not surprising I guess, as we always sought out secluded places to camp along the road, just so we could be in "uniform" while camped. We rarely used caravan parks. It was either nudist places, or out in the bush.

Anyway, that is the story of the little nudist bear.

Thanks to John and Joan for taking the time to share your story.
 

If you would like your own Wandering Bares sticker to proudly tell "those in the know" of your clothes free preference then send John and Joan a cheque or money order for $5 plus a self addressed envelope to:
 

J & J Clarke

619 Murphy Road

Captain Creek

QLD 4677

 So keep an eye out you never know when you will spot a Wandering Bears sticker!

 



Nudist, Naturist or Skinny-Dipper?

Is there a difference between a Nudist, a Naturist or a Skinny-Dipper?

All enjoy the freedom from clothes or coverings and quite often in a social setting so from an outsiders view there appears little if any difference.

There is also a cultural aspect to this discussion, here in Australia the terms Nudist and Naturist are commonly used interchangeably where elsewhere the two terms refer to specific differences in lifestyle choices. Even here in Australia in the past the Naturist was seen to be a vegetarian, with no smoking or drinking and who practiced calisthenics every morning.

In our experience the difference is as much in the mind of the practitioner as it is in the observer.

From our conversations with others who enjoy going clothes-free we would propose the following in today's Australian context:

The Naturist - will seek to be clothes free at every appropriate opportunity and holds to a philosophy that provides a framework of meaning for enjoying the naked activity.

The Nudist - will also seek to be clothes free at every appropriate opportunity but purely because they enjoy the experience and that is enough to meet their needs.

Finally the Skinny-Dipper -this person just enjoys to swim and sun bathe clothes-free. They confine their clothes free activity to the beach or pool and spa.

And all of the above are valid and share an important aspect, that is the clothes free lifestyle is enjoyable!

So where do we stand on this topic?

Well as can be seen from the title of this blog we think that Naturist best describes our lifestyle choice. As such we can fully align ourselves with the International Naturist Federation definition of what Naturism is:

"Respect for self, respect for others, respect for the environment through the practice of communal nudity."

However whether you are a Naturist, Nudist or a Skinny-Dipper revel in the enjoyment of your clothes-free time and be proud of your pastime or lifestyle choice.

Hopefully there will be plenty of opportunity this year to enjoy a clothes free Summer!