Co-Ed Naked Hiking Gets Official

Nudists in Germany are getting pretty pumped about the hiking trail that will be officially designated as a clothing optional trail come next May. Heinz Ludwig, a campsite owner has pushed the trail forward, overcoming adverse reactions to hikers in the buff by pointing out the potential tourism boom that naked hikers could bring to the area.

“I think it’s a great way to promote tourism here,” Ludwig told Reuters on Tuesday after Bild newspaper published a picture of two women wearing nothing but rucksacks on the trail. “There’s already been a lot of interest in it.” The 11-mile trail runs from the village of Dankerode to the Wippertal dam. Enthusiastic nudists have been tracking the progress of the trail online, and several hikers took to the unfinished trail last May to give it a naked stamp of approval. Perhaps the best parts of the whole trail are the warning signs posted along the way. One reads: “If you don’t want to see people with nothing on then you should refrain from moving on!” Newbie naked hiker beware, co-ed naked hiking is not sexual, or at least that’s what the chatrooms say.

Six Reasons to Choose a Nudist Vacation

Author: Liz Egger

It’s that time of year when my loved one and myself set aside an evening to open a bottle of wine and discuss one of the most significant events in the Egger family calendar, to whit, the Great Annual Holiday.

As always, the first decision we have to make is whether we choose nude or not. As confirmed nudists, we naturally favour a naturist vacation, or at least a vacation during which we can get naked for part of the time. However it’s not an automatic choice and this year there is a particularly tempting selection of textile holidays on offer. There’s a Mediterranean cruise that looks appealing, and the Rocky Mountain Rail Adventure takes my eye. Maybe we should support one of the Indian Ocean countries devastated by the Boxing Day Tsunami, or stay at home and redecorate (ugh!) However, we’ll probably choose nude, and here’s six reasons why:

Naked came the diner: clothing optional eateries and bare stand-up comedy shows are booming

Nude dining takes place under the auspice of Ordover’s monthly meals, where, according to the article, around 50 diners – whose motto is “no hot soup” – show up at specific ‘venues’ including the Mercantile Grill on Pearl Street and Pete’s Downtown in Brooklyn.

Non-sexual nudity in public dining and entertainment places is booming. According to the July 21, 2008 article titled, Clothing Optional Restaurants, Yoga Studios Where? NYC, “nude dining and yoga exercise are becoming the new rage within the clothing optional community.”

There are plenty of photos of nude diners at that site. Also see the New York Post article of July 21, 2008 titled, The Naked City, by Adam Nichols. Not only are there nude city restaurants, nude eateries inside yoga clubs, but there’s also a “midtown stand-up comedy joint,” according to the NY Post article titled, “The Naked City.”

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Tips on Planning a Caribbean Vacation during Hurricane Season

When one dreams of a Caribbean vacation, sunbathing, water sports, and spending lazy afternoons on a hammock under the trees is what springs to mind. But a hurricane can down the shutters even on those simple pleasures, let alone popular activities like snorkeling and SCUBA diving.

So what is the strategy to plan a vacation in the Caribbean during hurricane season? 

• Hurricanes in the Caribbean are more common in the months of August, September and October, though the official season is from June to November. Scheduling a holiday early in the season (June or July) or at the end of the season in November considerably reduces the risk of running into a hurricane while you are there.
   
• Choosing a Caribbean destination like Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Trinidad, Tobago or Barbados is wiser, since these islands are rarely hit by hurricanes.
   
• Check for information on the start of the rainy season in your destination choice – Curacao’s rainy season starts in October, whereas Aruba and Turks and Caicos islands get very little rainfall while in St. Lucia, the rainy season coincides with the hurricane season.
   
• National Weather Service website’s hurricane awareness link gives extended weather forecasts, hurricane warnings or travel advisories,
   
• Book a stay in resorts that offer a hurricane guarantee i.e. allow rescheduling with no additional charge in case the local weather bureau predicts a hurricane during the days booked. It goes without saying that travelers should take the effort to read the fine print to see what the guarantee offers and what is not covered.
   
• Taking travel insurance at the time of travel reservations is a good idea. Rescheduling or claiming refunds would be hassle-free, especially when airports are closed down and flights get cancelled because of a hurricane. 

Remember, Mother Nature is unpredictable and a hurricane can change course and hit a vacation destination. To be prepared for such an eventuality,

• Check if your vaccinations are up-to-date and carry a first aid kit and a few days reserve of essential medication
• When a hurricane alert is given, contact the local embassy on the island and alert them to your presence.
• Check with the hotel reception for hurricane safety procedures and follow their advice – understand that the locals have the experience to deal with the situation.
• Keep a copy of your travel documents handy for urgent evacuation.

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About the Author: Alex Briganza is a professional traveler who uses his travel experience to introduce people to the joys of traveling. Alex is especially adept at luxury travel, and his favorite destination include Caribbean

TRIPADVISOR Bares all Revealing Top 5 Naked Events and Top 5 Nude Beaches

In honor of the recent Nude Recreation Week, TripAdvisor is bringing opportunities to go “au naturel” out into the light, from a massive skinny-dip to relaxing sans suit on sunny shores. TripAdvisor®, the world’s most popular and largest travel community, today announced the top 5 naked events and top 5 nude beaches according to TripAdvisor editors and travelers.

Top 5 Naked Events:
As these five events prove, nudity is truly a way to express oneself.

Biking in the Buff: World Naked Bike Ride – Worldwide, June and July
Each year since 2004, bike riders have joined to celebrate cycling and protest a culture where cars are king. This year, in 20 countries around the world, participants advocated freedom from oil…and fabric. Nude cyclists bared their bods to stand (or rather sit) for what they believe in, with messages painted on their backs, fronts, and rears. If you plan to participate next year, one TripAdvisor traveler advises, “Remember the sunscreen…those saddles will be hot, hot, hot, so cover them up before alighting, people!”

Daring Dip: AANR World Record Skinny Dip – Across North America, July 2009
Put more than 12,000 people shoulder deep in pools across North America without a stitch of clothing in sight, and what do you get? The “largest number of people skinny dipping at once,” now a category in the Guinness Book of World Records thanks to the American Association for Nude Recreation. All participants were required to don their full birthday suits (no cheating), and word has it they plan to strip down again next year in hopes of beating the heat and their own record.

Maslin Madness: Nude Beach Olympics – Maslin Beach, Australia, January
Happily, these Olympics don’t include a nude luge (ouch), as they take place on Australia’s sunny Maslin Beach, where the games are a celebration of Maslin’s status as first official nude beach in the country. Among the games is the three-legged race (pun intended), in which participants tie their feet together.

Barely Bulls: Running of the Nudes – Pamplona, Spain, July
This nude crew means business. PETA’s “Running of the Nudes” protests the cruelty of bullfighting…but is also just what it sounds like: participants have chosen to show a little skin in hopes that one day Pamplona’s bulls won’t have to, donning plastic bull horns, red scarves, and little else, and running the half-mile Pamplona course. One TripAdvisor traveler admits, “I was shocked but entertained because everything was jiggling around and flopping around, if you know what I mean.”

Share Some Skin: Burning Man – Black Rock Desert, Nevada, August – September
The annual Burning Man project is a self-proclaimed haven of self-expression, creativity and community, and what better way to express oneself than to undress oneself? Drawing 50,000 people to the Black Rock Desert in 2008, huge works of art are generated at the event, namely the “Man,” which is burned on the final night as part of the process of restoring the area to its natural state, with no trace of the revelers. Participants often take advantage of the free-spirited attitude by getting nude, whether it be by the light of the fire…or the many moons.

Will U.S. citizens be allowed to travel to Cuba?

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a bill on Tuesday to allow U.S. citizens to travel freely to Cuba and predicted Congress would approve it as a step toward ending the five-decade-old U.S. embargo.

“I think there’s sufficient votes in both the House (of Representatives) and the Senate to finally get it passed,” Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan said at a news conference.

Dorgan, whose home state of North Dakota could benefit from increased agricultural sales to Cuba, introduced the bill along with fellow Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd and Republican Senators Richard Lugar and Mike Enzi. Seventeen other senators also are sponsoring the measure. A companion bill introduced in the House earlier this year has 121 co-sponsors.

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Jamaica Tourist Board bets on a good year

March was a busy month for the Jamaican Tourist Board as it hosted two major events for its travel agent and tour operator partners.

On March 18, local travel agents gathered at the Romford Greyhound Stadium where the Jamaica Tourist Board hosted a Jamaica Day, inviting travel agents to place their bets and enjoy a night of fun whilst getting into the true spirit of Jamaica, sampling delicious Jamaican snacks and dancing to live music from a steel band.

NFN Travel Launches Great Beach Vacations

A dream that started in 2004 has become a reality with the launch of Great Beach Vacations.  Managed by Leslie Block, Great Beach Vacations is dedicated to world class luxury beachside resorts.

Sex party swingers in mini riot over clothed guest at nudist colony

A TOURIST who refused to take his clothes off at a swinger sex party has been blamed for “a mini-riot” at a north Queensland nudist colony.

Police were called amid threats of violence and lewd behaviour and ordered the Brisbane man and his wife from the adults-only “anything goes” sex party.

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Mirkarimi: Let it all hang out at Breakers

Bring back the nudity, bring back the fun.

So says San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who is calling on Bay to Breakers organizers to ease up on new rules banning party floats and the Full Monty from the annual race.

“There is no reason to go this far,” said Mirkarimi, whose supervisorial district is invaded every May by the 65,000 or so runners on their way from the Embarcadero to Ocean Beach. “Nudity and floats are part of the spirit of the race.”

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