Naked Hiking: I tried it.

There is such a thing as naked hiking.

I do not know who invented it nor why. 

But it exists. 

It even has its own day. 

Every year, Naked Hiking Day is (unofficially) observed on June 21. I learned about it myself a couple weeks ago when an article about it popped up on my Facebook feed. 

I immediately resolved to do it. Why? Well I love hiking. And I quite like being naked. So why the hell not? 

Although this is new to me, I hear it's very popular in other countries. It ain't popular in Trinidad, I can tell you that. There are way too many bugs, critters, prickly bushes and maccos in Trinidad forests for that. 

Anyway, I'm pretty sure it's illegal. Public indecency laws and all that. Is the forest considered a public space? I think I might have broken a law or two today.

But you know how the saying goes. If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around to hear it, did it really make a sound? 

Well...if a person is naked in the forest and there is no one around to see it, were they really naked? Hmmm.

In any case, I picked a hiking spot where hardly anyone goes. Maracas waterfall. 

It's nice enough and is the tallest waterfall in the country but it's not all that popular with hikers because the waterfall is mostly always dry. Sometimes it's just mist. So there's not really much to see after you hike all the way there. I rarely go there myself. But I figured there wouldn't be anyone there today. Especially since it's a weekday and people would likely be working, not hiking. 

Fortunately for me, the terms of my employment means I don't work on Mondays.

Anyway I didn't actually hike to the waterfall naked. That would be crazy. And I dare say a little unsanitary. I hiked in shorts and a tshirt. 

But when I got to the waterfall, I let it all hang loose. Listen, I always say Maracas Waterfall and Edith Falls are two waterfalls that are best visited in the rainy season. They dry up almost completely in the dry season but on days like today, there was actual water to bathe under. 

And that I did. 

Nakedly.

I let the spray of icy cold water caress my naked body in ways that...well never mind. 

Anyway, having come up the trail without encountering a single other hiker, I figured I could go back down in my birthday suit. Which I did. Sorta. I did wrap a towel around me. I guess I ain't that brave after all. 

Halfway down the trail there's a detour to a small pool which I also visited and swam around. Nakedly. I skinny dipped. That's what I did. 

I saw a lotta crabs out there too. I find it rather ironic that I never saw a crab at Maracas waterfall before but the day I decide to hike naked, I see a lotta crabs. I had nothing to do with that. 

I should probably add some actual useful information here. If you're gonna try hiking naked, like actually naked, you might wanna slather on the insect repellent. And if the sun is out, you might wanna slather on sunscreen too. You might not wanna sit anywhere to rest or some creature of nature might crawl up your coochie. Not that it happened to me but...I could imagine. I dunno what to advise y'all about bushes that could scratch you. I don't know if poison ivy is a thing in Trinidad but I know what razor grass is and it ain't pleasant. 

Anyway, the hike was close to 4 miles (3.89) or 6.2 km. 

Lemme tell y'all what I learned from this experience. 

1) You look over your shoulder 100 times as often when you're naked in the bush.

2) Water feels 100 times colder when you're naked in the bush.

3) Every flaw is highlighted when you take naked photos.

4) But meen care.

YOLO!