No need for a suitcase then! Nudist couple who fell in love with stripping off after swimming naked in a waterfall show off their VERY athletic poses at tourist spots across the globe
- WARNING: NUDITY Dancers Silke Muys, 29, from Ghent, Belgium, and Kieran Shannon, 27, from Glasgow, have been travelling the world since May 2019
- After sharing their travels on Instagram, they decided they would post a naked shot of themselves at a beauty spot every Friday
- Followers have swelled to nearly 20,000 during their 'free the butt' campaign
- Currently grounded, the couple say they can't wait to continue to disrobe across the globe, with plans to hit Alaska and South America up next A couple who decided to post one photo a week of themselves naked while travelling the world have seen their Instagram followers shoot up as a result.
Dancers Silke Muys, 29, from Ghent, Belgium, and Kieran Shannon, 27, from Glasgow, started travelling in May 2019 - and say their descent into playful exhibitionism began after they went for waterfall swims and 'enjoyed the freedom' that no clothes brings.
They quickly decided that every Friday they would post a photo of themselves in their birthday suits on their Instagram account, @silkyrontheround, and their naked travels - and athletic yoga poses - have now amassed around 20,000 fans on social media. Scroll down for video
Birthday suit travellers: Dancers Silke Muys, 29, from Ghent, Belgium, and Kieran Shannon, 27, from Glasgow, have been travelling the world since May 2019 - and decided one day a week, they'd share a naked snap of themselves to their Instagram account, @silkyrontheroad
The professional dancers, who met while working for a dance company in Spain, say their 'Freaky Friday' shots, often showing them in athletic poses have garnered a huge following
Silke and Kieran, currently grounded because of Covid, spent last year taking 'free the butt' shots in India before making their way across Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
The couple, who met and fell in love whilst working for a dance company in Sitges, Spain in January 2018, have spent a year documenting their travels to Asia - starting in India before making their way across Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
One photo shows Slke stood on her partner's lower spine, with her right foot arched high above her shoulder. In another, she balances on Kieran's shoulder, performing another yoga move. While they say they don't actually identify as nudists, they are keen to promote positive body image.
Kieran says a whirlwind romance has evolved into a joint love of disrobing: 'The moment that we met we both fell in love and we have been together since that day. 'After only three months of knowing each other, we decided that when our dance contract came to an end, we would leave and start travelling and see where the world would take us.'
Pictures of the couple, who are currently grounded due to Covid, visiting incredible sites such as the Bich Dong Pagoda Buddhist temple in Vietnam and Agra Fort in India attracted new followers to their Instagram - but it was the birthday suit shots that saw their following really grow.
After tackling Asia in a camper van, Kieran says they plan to keep travelling, and keep sharing their 'Freaky Friday' images
Respect: The couple, at the Taj Mahal in India, do cover up at major tourist destinations where cultural guidance forbids nudity
The eye-boggling naked yoga poses have seen the couple win 20,000 followers on social media...but they say they don't identify as nudists
The couple say they began dipping their toes in the nudist waters by getting naked and going for a swim whenever they came across a waterfall.
Enjoying this sense of freedom, Kieran and Silke decided that this was something they wanted to document and share with their followers online.
Kieran says: 'Getting naked started out as something we just both really enjoyed during that time. Whenever we found a waterfall, we would get naked and go for a swim.'
Getting naked started out as something we just both really enjoyed during that time. Whenever we found a waterfall, we would get naked and go for a swim...Nudist Keiran Shannon'We started shooting in these locations which became something we wanted to share.'
And sharing photos of themselves in the altogether proved popular. After posting their first nude image, they realised that their fans loved the artistic expression and body positivity displayed in their pictures.
Kieran and Silke decided that each week, they would post a nude photo to their Instagram page and title it 'Freaky Friday.'
'When we started to see the overwhelmingly positive reactions of people, it became a passion of ours to share body positivity and freedom however we could.
'We have built such a beautiful community with this in mind and just love sharing our adventures with the world.'
The reaction to their stripping off in public has been 'overwhelmingly positive', they say
Bit chilly? The couple have posed in all weathers, including in a very snowy mountain resort. Right: Silke balances on her partner's shoulders in a naked yoga move
They have since had strangers tell them that their self-confidence is 'inspirational,' something that makes the couple even more eager to share their nude snaps with the world.
The couple don't actually identify as nudists, but hope that their willingness to show off their bodies will encourage others struggling with body confidence issues to not be afraid of baring all.
'We received messages from strangers telling us that we inspire them and that they are on a journey of self-love and confidence. That really encourages us to keep on sharing.'
On the road again: the couple plan to trek to South America and Alaska when the world opens up again...with more naked photos in the pipeline
Their exposing photoshoots haven't always gone completely to plan. On several occasions, the couple have had strangers interrupt their shoots leading to awkward exchanges. Luckily, these intruders have seen the funny side to the situation, with some apologising for interrupting whilst others have commented that they are used to seeing nudity in their own county.
'We have had a few times where people walked into us making a 'Freaky Friday' but it only made them laugh. They told us things like, "We're French. We are used to it,' which was funny."'
Whilst Kieran's mum wasn't sure about the risqué photos at first, she has since come to understand that their photos are an expression of art as opposed to anything sexual.
Current travel restrictions have meant that Kieran and Silke have temporarily travelled back to Europe to avoid getting stranded across the world, the pair are eager to get back to their full-time adventuring when it is safe to do so.
Kieran says his mum wasn't too sure about the risqué photos but has since come to understand that their photos are an expression of art as opposed to anything sexual
Kieran says: 'Currently we are not travelling as we risked being stuck in India when the pandemic started so we decided to come home and see our families after almost a year on the road.
'We are planning to be back on the road very soon but just want to make sure that it is safe and sensible to do so before we dive back in.'
The break has even given them a chance to make a 10-year plan which involves buying a van in South America and making their way down through the continent before heading north to Alaska - whilst of course, continuing to 'free the butt' along the way.
'We have a ten year plan in our head where we buy a van in Brazil, make our way very slowly all the way south and then north winding our way all the way to Alaska.
'We love showing people the incredible adventures we have been fortunate enough to go on, but the biggest joy of all is sharing all those experiences with each other.'
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