Sex and the Single Avatar in Second Life XVIII – A Visit to a Newly Discovered Nudist Resort in Second Life

Find me under the palms.

Anonymous

Wandering about in Second Life (SL) as I’m wont to do, an acquaintance recently recommended a nudist resort to me that I hadn’t heard of before.  (Significant Other seems shocked thinking I’d seen them all.) 

Intrigued, (Significant Other asks what else is new.) I made plans to visit and to check it out.

The resort is called Isla de Amores and I visited a few times to see what it was all about.  During one of these visits, I met Charlie Miami, the owner/operator, who agreed to

an interview with me.

The following story is based on that interview and my visits. 

Charlie is an old SL hand.

He began his time inworld as a guard at Wild Coast, a naturist sim.  Charlie says that he remembers me from my earlier visits there and I vaguely remember him.  (Significant Other suggests that I was more interested in certain other residents.) He left Wild Coast to establish Miami Properties with a partner but closed down that venture when the partner had to leave SL.  Charlie says that it’s hard to be a land business inworld unless you have a niche.

Isla de Amores was Charlie’s next venture inworld.  Being a naturist in Real Life (RL) when he can, he decided to go back to his roots inworld.  The resort was first opened for Charlie’s friends and then to the public in April 2015. 

Charlie believes that nudity and sex are part of human nature.  Some lean to it more than others, he’s one of the ones who leans to it.  The goal at Isla de Amores is for people to come and enjoy his efforts there.  It is a way to give back to the community by making it available to all free of charge. 

Designing and staying on top of the latest trends in furniture inworld is a pastime for Charlie.  (Remember this is an adult sim so we’re talking sex here folks!)  He has a large inventory of animations spread all over the sim, even the starfish have them!  Some of these

animations are custom made exclusively for Charlie and can be found nowhere else inworld.  This adds to the uniqueness of Isla de Amores.  I’ve checked out several of these and the variety offered is indeed broad and original.  (No more details, we’re still not that kind of blog!  Check them out for yourselves.)

Isla de Amores does accept donations from visitors but there is only one donation barrel located at its entrance.  Charlie’s not in it for the money.  While other sims have closed for lack of funding, he has no intention of doing so. 

Interestingly, the resort is clothing optional.  Nudity is not a requirement.  Group membership is a requirement but is free.  Charlie says this helps to keep poor behavior out.  All sexual preferences are respected.  Al that is asked is that everyone be kind and respectful to one another. 

There are no planned social events because Isla de Amores is only a homestead with a limit of twenty avatars at any one time which does preclude large gatherings.  Treasure hunts have been held in the past and may occur again in the future. 

Only adult human avatars are allowed entrance.  Attached ears, tails, and wings are allowed.  Complete animal or fantasy avatars are not.  Visitors who appear in such form are politely asked to switch to human form.

Isla de Amores is comprised of a series of small islets connected by narrow walkways or accessible by wading through shallow water.  Lush, tropical foliage covers them.  Highly detailed palm trees, tropical flowers, shrubs and bushes are scattered across

the sim giving a very lifelike effect.  The grounds alone are worth a visit.  Beautiful, small beaches offering privacy and opportunities for couples to be intimate are washed by waves.  Colorful birds fly overhead.  Waterfalls and rock formations complete the natural settings.

Small huts and cabins are available for use by visitors.  Row boats are moored along the shore.  Lounge chairs, blankets, and dance balls can be found on the beaches.  (Remember what I said earlier about the unique animations!)  Ruins for exploring are also hidden in the underbrush. 

There is a teleport to take visitors to the more popular places.  (My BDSM friends may be interested in the Red Room in particular.) 

I strongly recommend Isla de Amores to anyone who is interested in a quiet, enjoyable, tropical nudist resort in SL.  Since it’s clothing optional, as long as no one minds others being nude, the resort is well worth visiting to see how a beautiful, tropical resort can be constructed inworld. 

Isla de Amores is unique for being a very well laid out resort which is not cookie cutter produced like other sims inworld.  The use of multiple islands breaks it up allowing for

more beaches and private places.  (OK, I’ll admit it, I get lost every time I go there.  Significant Other is only surprised that I’ve admitted that.)  And, don’t forget those animations that are unique solely to Isla de Amores!

I hope that you’ll visit Isla de Amores and enjoy yourselves!

Who knows?  Maybe you’ll run into me!

Isla de Amores can be found here.

I’d like to thank Charlie Miami for meeting with me and for creating such a wonderful addition to the nudist community inworld!

I’d also like to thank my Companion who supplied all the pictures used in this story and that can also be found on this flickr page.  (She also keeps asking why I seem to only send her to nudist resorts.) 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

            If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

            Open roads and kind fires!

A Visit with a Tarot Card Reader

 

I think there is too much focus on the cards and what they are supposedly trying to tell us, and not enough on the reader as an individual and how they read. It is our job to decipher. And it is difficult, if it wasn't then there would be no need for us because everyone would read their own cards.

Sinduction

          Recently, I came across a topic a little different from what I’ve been writing about lately.  (If you read my recent blog about how I write, you’ll understand how I can switch from nudism/naturism and BDSM to a totally unrelated subject.  You have to admit my coverage is diverse!)

          Now that I’ve built the suspense, let me introduce this week’s topic.  I write about a Tarot card reader in Second Life (SL).  Recently, I had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of Ivy Paderborn who is a Tarot card reader in both SL and Real Life (RL).  We agreed to meet and arranged an interview. 

          At the scheduled time, we meet in Ivy’s offices where she does her appointments.  I begin by asking Ivy how she came to be a reader.  She replies that she had always had visions and premonitions while growing up. Her mother taught her how to use the Tarot cards when she was a teenager. She has been doing them for many years now.  Ivy explains that doing readings is really no different in SL than it is in RL. Although of course people want to know about SL things too, like relationships. 

          My next question has to do with whether the ability to read Tarot is an innate ability or can it be developed?  Ivy thinks it can be developed. While it helps if there is natural aptitude to being open to messages from the universe, Ivy thinks that anyone can be taught how to read the cards if they are interested in doing it.

          I then ask about how she actually does a reading.  Ivy responds that for her, it mostly entails making a connection with the universal divine, and then channeling that energy into the cards as she pulls them. She thinks about the person's question, seeks a sincere answer, and then reads what comes up.  Once the cards are pulled, the understanding is based on the meaning of the individual cards and their significance in a combination.  Ivy says that sometimes she will pull a card and know its meaning, and can clearly see how it applies to the question.  Other times if a card seems like it is not a fit, she then has to look deeper and share any other messages that she sees or hear sin the process, in hopes that the information will help the querant.

          The mentioning of the universal divine makes me think this is key and I inquire about this. 

          Ivy affirms that to her that, yes, it is. She believes that this would be an essential element for any reader.  I ask if it can be defined or described?  Ivy says that for some people, they would call it God or Spirit.  Others just call it Universal energy.  Ivy is not religious, so she chooses a non-religious term for it.

We’ve been talking mostly about querants.   I ask if when she does a reading is a querant necessary or could she do a reading to forecast the future and what it could bring?  Ivy says that she can do either. What she tells her clients is that the more specific they can be with her in what they want to know, the more specific her answers can be, as she can interpret the cards more adeptly to their needs.  But she do general readings as well as very specific ones.   It all depends on what the person wishes to know.

          I have to ask how can she measure the success or accuracy of her readings?  Ivy receives a lot of feedback from her clients that is positive. She says, based on what she hears back, that her readings are generally successful in providing accurate information.  But there have been times where she has been wrong as well. No reader is ever right 100% of the time she tells me. Ivy smiles and says that, thankfully, the number of times she has been told about an error in her readings is very few.

          I move onto how does an actual reading work?  Ivy pulls the cards in RL and reads them to the querant.  When someone comes to Ivy for a reading, she asks them to tell her their question or the situation that they want to know about.  Ivy then takes a moment to take several deep breaths to center herself and asks that they do the same.  She draws the cards from her own deck in RL and lays them out for the answer, and then tells the person what she is seeing, what each card means, and her overall interpretation of the answer as it pertains to their question.

Ivy typically does a straight timeline card layout.  A spread of five to six cards, from left to right, or a yes/no spread of seven cards.  This is a matter of personal preference for Ivy.  She finds that format works well for her in answering the questions that she receives.  Occasionally she will do other spreads, such as the classic Celtic Cross, which is the one that most people think of, the one with the big T spread in the middle.

Moving on to time and fees, Ivy says that most readings last about half an hour.  Her fee is $500L for each fifteen minutes. The fee is based on time used, not per question, so if someone wants to pay for fifteen minutes, they can ask as many varied questions as they like during that time.

I ask Ivy if she has many customers and how many are regulars?  She says that on average, she does at least a few readings per week, and most are regulars. She does get new people from time to time, either from her classified ads, or as referrals.

           When I inquire about whether Ivy considers herself a full time reader, she surprises me by saying no. Neither in SL nor RL.   In SL, Ivy has many other interests and feels she would miss out on a lot if she read full time.  Her other interests inworld include going to live music events, exploring new and strange sims (no shortage there), participating in hunts, and Ivy also does medieval/fantasy role play.  In a word, Ivy’s a very busy woman inworld. 

          Then I turn to asking about Ivy’s customers.  How many of her customers are believers or are they just experimenting?  Ivy believes she has made believers of the ones who were just experimenting when they first came to her. She takes it as a real compliment, to have people come back to her again and again, because they trust her answers.  Ivy adds there are plenty who come just to try it, and find it's not really for them, and that's fine with her too. It takes all kinds she adds. 

I ask Ivy who are her typical customers.  She says that's a tough question since SL provides such a wide variety of self-expression, she’s had all kinds of avatars walk through her door.  But, she says as far as what the average person wants to know, it is generally related to love, job, or money.  Which is pretty much as it is in RL.  Ivy rejoins with since SL is really just an extension of who we are in RL that seems natural to her.

Does the SL medium change the experience for Ivy, I ask.  She replies not anymore.  At first, it was a little strange for her she admits. But having been doing it for several years now it seems very natural to her. 

Are the querants any different between SL and RL I probe.  Ivy had before only done in-person readings, where the other person shuffles the cards while they think of their question. Now she just connects to the person by talking to them electronically.  So for Ivy, it’s not really different.  She supposes visual appearance is the only major difference.  (How many furries go for readings in RL?) 

I ask if there are any challenges for Tarot reading inworld?  Ivy Paderborn replies that it is the same for SL as RL.  At first, it was a challenge for her to connect to the person she was reading for, but as she previously mentioned, Ivy is now used to doing in-person readings from RL to SL.  But with practice in tuning into the other person's energy while talking with them, it became a lot easier for her.  Now it just comes naturally to her.

We move onto if there are there any dangers or risks associated with Tarot readings? Ivy only cautions that people should feel that they got a good reading before taking any action on it. Sadly, Ivy says not everyone who reads is genuine. If someone gets bad advice about something really important, and then takes action based on that advice, it can be a mistake.

So reputation is important I ask.  Ivy replies that usually a reading will either feel like it "clicked" or it didn't, just like when people meet. If a querant feels that connection, then it is likely to be a good reading.

Coming to the end of my questions, I ask how is business?  Does it pay the bills inworld? Ivy replies that she has several businesses, reading Tarot is only one. But yes, she does pretty well.   Thankfully, she laughs and says she considers herself lucky to be able to support her shoe habit! 

We come to the conclusion of our interview, I thank Ivy and take my leave.  I keep an open mind about paranormal activities, card reading, and other psychic phenomena.  In meeting with Ivy, I met someone who has a passion for what she does and has been doing it for a while.  Ivy portrays for me, yet again, how people have migrated practices and beliefs from RL to SL.  Time will tell how the transition goes. 

I would like to thank Ivy Paderborn for her time and openness with me. 

As always, I’m grateful to all for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

     If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

Photo No. 1   Ivy Paderborn

Photo No. 2   Ivy Paderborn with Tarot Deck  

Among the Naturists

What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful that the garment with which it is clothed?

Michaelangelo

          Earlier, when I blogged about my two visits to a nudist function in the 1920’s Berlin sim in Second Life, a couple of readers commented that if I was interested in checking out nudism inworld then I should visit The Wild Coast Naturist Resort.  I was told that this was a full time nudist location with decorum. 

          Well, I’m not always sure if places known for their decorum will necessarily want to have anything to do with me.  But, I’ve gotten used to rejection in life, both SL and Real Life (SL).  So, I decide to go visit. 

          Wild Coast is a nudity required sim.  Here, I was committing to more than an hour in a controlled environment as I’d done on my two previous forays into nudity.  But, after having wandered around strangers with all of us nude previously, this didn’t seem like all that much of a big deal anymore.  (Maybe there is something to the old saying that once you start doing it, it becomes natural.  Sorry, bad joke.)

          During one of my initial research trips, I met Sweety Basevi who functions as the general manager for the resort.  She agreed to meet me for an interview and I was all set.

          Before I go any further, I want to talk about terminology.  (Give me a break, I’m a writer, words are very important to me.)  I keep saying “nudist” or use derivations of the word.  Sweety very quickly pointed put to me that Wild Coast is a naturist (Caution: link contains pictures of nudity.) and not a nudist resort like other sims inworld.  Looking at the resort’s rules shows why.  Wild Coast is naturist in the classic sense.  People come together in a state of undress to enjoy one another’s company and enjoy SL unclothed just as naturists do in RL.  Public sexual displays are frowned upon and can get one booted out.  One prominent rule posted in Wild Coast is that men cannot have erections because Wild Coast is a mature sim in SL parlance and from a female perspective, it is threatening and intrusive.  (If only RL were that simple.)  There is another sim, Turtle Coast, which is an adult sim and is more liberal.  (Now that I’m so comfortable running around in the altogether, maybe another story in the future?) 

          With that cleared up, let me return to my interview with Sweety.  Like me she is nude.  Standing a little shorter than me (Come to think of it, how tall am I in SL?) with windblown (Aren’t AO’s something else?) shoulder length brunette hair, and tattoos, she is tanned from all her inworld hours spent at the beach.  (Look, if I said it was all the result of some clever programming in somebody’s basement in Detroit, it just wouldn’t have sounded as good would it?) 

          We meet at the Wild Coast resort at the appointed time and I begin with my questions. I ask about the start of Wild Coast.  Sweety replies that it is the third sim of Kaiya Islands and when a decision was made five years ago to open it, there was also a decision that it be a naturist site. 

I inquire about the sim’s current moderate rating as opposed to adult.  Sweety explains that this goes back to the earlier PG and mature ratings.  Due to other business activities like land rentals the decision was made to stay with the moderate rating when the ratings changed.  This is when Turtle Coast was established as an adult sim.  She continues saying that flirting is the most typical activity that occurs in Wild Coast and while there are secluded areas affording privacy, they are very careful about staying within the ratings guidelines set forth by Linden Lab (LL). 

My next question is about the one time membership fee of $450L charged when one joins.  Sweety explains how the fees help to pay the tiers for the venue, as well as the staff that work here, helping to ensure that everyone has a great time in a welcoming and safe environment.  From my visits, I can say that they have succeeded. 

From my recent visits with the SL BSDM community I know that many there practice the lifestyle in both SL and RL, I ask Sweety if she has seen this with naturism?  She responds that she understands how that can happen and suspects that people may first try naturism in SL and then be more comfortable with it in RL. 

I then ask her about why she’s a naturist in SL.  Sweety says working with the Islands, she goes where she’s needed.  She was a bit reluctant to strip initially she admits.  But after a short period of time, she got over it and now it’s second nature to her to be naked, she laughs as she tells me this.  Sweety says she can now sympathize with people who come here for the first time and are not used to being naked.  (I can sympathize as well.) 

Our conversation turns to how being naked in SL is easier than in RL.  (Those wandering eyes and normal male reactions I’ve written about elsewhere.)  Sweety states that we still associate our avatars with our own feelings and inhibitions.  She observes that once a newcomer has been naked for five minutes or so, they actually stop feeling self-conscious.  I wonder if it has something to do with us looking a lot better in SL than we do in RL? 

Social activities, as Sweety explains, besides the aforementioned flirting, include DJ's, concerts, and parties.  We discuss the appeal of Wild Coast.  Sweety uses terms like welcoming, enjoyable, and safe.  She admits this is probably the result of the controls in place.  There is none of the rude behavior that I’ve seen or friends have reported to me about other sims.  Whenever I arrive, I notice that others are rezzing in as well and as they enter, people call out their names and greet them. I haven’t seen that in too many other places inworld.  There appears to be a very tight community here in Wild Coast.

Sweety rethinks her use of the word “controls” and suggests that it’s more about making sure the rules are followed enhancing the members’ experience.  She speaks of the enjoyable vibes at the resort. 

Sweety also credits the staff for getting and keeping things going, and are truly awesome in her words. The friendliness, she thinks has a lot to do with the members themselves. For her, they are wonderful.  (I get the sense that this woman really loves her job.)  Coincidentally, while interviewing Sweety, a friend IM’s me and asks what I’m doing.  I reply that I’m doing an interview at a naturist resort.  She responds asking if I’m at the most famous one in SL, Wild Coast.  Turns out she’s a member too.  The grid’s getting smaller! 

The membership at 24,000 is very large.  (I wish I had that many readers!)  Average daily traffic for the sim is 19,500 which is another good number.  The biggest problems that Sweety encounters with members are those who try to break the no clothes, no shoes, and no erections rules.  (I have a very open minded SL friend, actually, she’s more of an anarchist, who has a problem with the resort’s no clothes rule.  She believes it’s another imposition of authority.  I’ll probably find her inworld someday dressing in protest of something or other.)

We talk next about what are the most popular spots within Wild Coast with the members.  Sweety says the public area at the arrival point and the main dance area by the beach are probably the two most popular locations at the resort.  The secluded areas are also popular for folks to go off to when they want some privacy to get to know one another better. 

My time with Sweety comes to an end and I thank her before taking my leave. 

Wild Coast is everything that I was told it would be. A friendly, safe, and enjoyable environment fostering friendship among residents.  Besides the social aspects, the resort is beautifully done and always has good mood music playing.  For anyone looking for a naturist experience in SL, I recommend Wild Coast.  Yes, there is a fee.  However, it’s trivial compared to what can be gained. 

The resort, in my opinion, follows in the tradition of RL naturist communities which were about enjoying nature and other people without the restrictions and prejudices brought on by clothing. 

One final point, I paid for my own membership fee to the resort so I could walk about and check things out for myself.  I will also return looking for new material for my blogs. 

I would like to thank Sweety Basevi for her time and openness with me. 

As always, I’m grateful to all for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

     If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

Photo No. 1  Sweety Basevi

Photo No. 2  Wild Coast Arrival Area and Entrance

Photo No. 3  Public Area

Photo No. 4  Members Only Common Area

Photo No. 5  Members Only Secluded Area