Although I had wanted to join other naturists on the beach or at a scoial gathering since my teens I lacked the nerve to do so and confined my naturism to solo walks in the countryside or Forestry Commission woods which happened to be literally on the doorstep as Dad was a forester.
It wasn't until I had packed my rucksack and headed off to Australia for 12 months backpacking that I finally achieved my ambition and overcame some issues about being naked in public. I arrived in Perth and two days later I decided to go to Swanbourne Beach after looking at the tourist info and discovering it was a nude beach. I kept telling myself I was 12,000 from home and would not bump into anyone who knew me back home, the weather is fantastic and it would be a novelty (for me at least) to be on a beach in mid November.
Arrived at the beach and was surprised to see how busy it was on a week day. Took a deep breath and walked to a spot that wasn't so crowded and proceded to undress. The usual first time thoughts were running through my head such as 'everyone's looking at me!' , 'Naked women! Please God don't let me get aroused' and 'where do I look?' All totally unfounded worries. Needless to say I spent the first hour lying on my stomach until I had the nerve to turn onto my back. I didn't feel awarked or embarassed, in fact it was a most liberating experience in more ways than one. A well used cliche but so true. Since childhood I have had prominent surgery scars on my legs and feet and grew up very self concious of them. The person on the beach most bothered about them was me! No one else seemed to give a fig about my appearence, to them I was just another nude sun bather albeit still very white and fresh off the plane.

That was 20 years ago and I haven't looked back since.