Eye contact and composure take on whole new meanings for outsiders who arrive at the Auckland Outdoor Naturist Club in Ranui.
Ooops, didn't mean to glance down.
Yes, I do at times struggle to keep a straight face when asking serious questions.
Sorry, wasn't trying to be funny when Isaid I didn't have much on for the rest of the afternoon.
The unclad ambassadors for naked outdoor living are unabashed. They have seen and heard it all before.
And at the pretty, tree-fringed camp yesterday they were more interested in the Naturist Federation's national sports rally than a self-conscious and overdressed reporter hiding behind a notepad.
Wearing little else but sneakers and a layer of sunscreen, the men and women leapt about with abandon as they played volleyball and "thug", a mini-tennis game played only by naturists.
They really only had eyes for the ball, appearing not remotely distracted by the wobbly bits except perhaps when a woman fell with a spectacular slide onto her bottom.
Ouch - surely clothes can sometimes be sensible?
"Oh people do wear clothes when they want, like when it is cold or raining," club president Les Olsen says. "There is no dress rule ... or undress rule."
Started in 1948, the club has about 250 adult members. There are no age limits to belonging to a naturist club, but permission is often sought from the parents of youths who want to join up.
