Earlier in the year I wrote that my first naturist holiday was taking a turn for the ‘worse’ in that the RL Mr. Keng wouldn’t be accompanying me on it due to pressures of work.

And I told you that his place on the plane had been filled by my friend, who isn’t naturist. Well, the plans changed again a couple of weeks ago, with the addition of a third person who will be on the plane with us. It rather looks like it’s going to be a girlie holiday of sorts! 🙂 The third person is another non-naturist, but this lady, unlike the first one, would possibly go topless, and admits to having skinny-dipped off the coast of Greece with her then-husband (she’s divorced) many summers ago. (‘We were young…we were drunk’, she offers by way of explanation).

How do we know each other? We’re all Mums (grandma in Nanni’s case) at the school gates. Do they know I’m a RL naturist? Yes. Do they know I play SL? Yes. Are they SL players? No. Do they know I blog? Yes. I think there’s a sense of intrigue and curiosity about it all, possibly more so because that aspect of my life is possibly at odds with the rest of my life (as if being a real life naturist doesn’t already sit at odds with people’s expectations of me).

Anyway…we’re all quite excited by the idea of a week having a few laughs and exploring bits of Spain neither of them are familiar with. I think we’re agreed that it won’t be a full-on naturist holiday. Both are new to the area I frequent, and there’s a lot of non-naturist bits to it, so our plan of attack is to spend our mornings sightseeing and shopping, and then maybe repair to the pool or balcony in the afternoons, with the evenings laid aside for dining and a few drinks.

So meet ‘Bebe’ and ‘Nanni’.

Are these their real names? No. Bebe is Barbara in RL, but as we already have one of those at SLN, and because her initials are B.B, I opted to call her Bebe for the purposes of SL and the blog.

And Nanni is an actual RL Nanny (i.e Grandma) whose real name is Nancy, so I’ve gone with Nanni for SLN purposes.

I thought it would be fun to interview them before we head off in just two weeks.

I interviewed them (face to face! A first!) recently, beginning with Nanni.

Ella: Packed yet?

Nanni: Not quite…maybe the night before we go…

Ella: Expectations?

Nanni: I’m not sure. I have an image of naturism that I’m not certain is wholly accurate. So I’m trying to go with a sense of adventure and open-mindedness. At this point, I’m not sure of the whole idea of me being naked in public. I will be packing a swimsuit!

Ella: But you told me you’ve been topless before.

Nanni: Yes. Many years ago. I didn’t think it was weird or out of the ordinary. When in Rome and all of that…. I might go topless. But I was younger then. Now….well…gravity has had an effect if you know what I mean.

Ella: You see all shapes and sizes. You’ll not give it a thought within a short while.

Nanni: I am drawn to the idea of skinny dipping again, I have to say. I like the idea that it’s something that goes on everyone’s bucket list, and it would be great to tick that as not having just ever been a one-off. Maybe we can do it at night, hahaha!

And then I spoke to Bebe…

Ella: Expectations?

Bebe: I think it’ll be weird if people are running around naked all the time. That just seems…strange. Strange because it’s not a normal social convention, not that I’m implying naturists are strange, or any more strange than golfers or joggers. I mean, I find the idea of a whole set of clothes for golfing to be strange and knocking a ball around acres of grass to be strange. But it doesn’t hurt me and it takes all sorts to make a world. So in that respect….go for it! Naturism seems the same. It’s just we don’t see it here, do we? I travel with the expectation that I won’t be joining in, I think. 

I’ve provided each of them with SL profiles. I don’t necessarily expect them to become regulars, but as we’re all taking our computers -as much an essential part of the luggage now as a bikini or a camera for holidays- I though it might be fun to create profiles for them and at least log in for the duration of the week that lies ahead. Two weeks tonight, those cases will be packed. So…for now…meet Bebe and Nanni, and two avatars that they think best suits their real selves.

 Will they? Won’t they? We’ll find out in a week or two…

And having each been given whistle-stop tours of SL to buy some items for their virtual suitcases, how do they see themselves in pixelated form?

Bebe: Yeah…plus sized, swimsuit, sarong. I’m quite happy with that representation of me.

Nanni: Hmmm…it makes me seem a little younger than I am, but overall I’m satisfied with that. The trousers I love, I’d wear them on holiday. The fringed jacket I’m not quite so sure about but, as you say, it’s a fantasy re-creation, so let’s run with it.

 Ella