Bummed out: Couple grounded in Girvan post naked pictures from world trip to counter lockdown blues

For the globetrotters among us, the pandemic has hardly been a time to keep the good old wanderlust alive.

Silke and Kieran passing the time in Girvan picture: Silke Muys

But for one couple, who have been stuck in Girvan since their ten-year-around-the-world-trip was cancelled by Covid, sharing nude pictures of themselves abroad on social media has been one way to spice up the lockdown blues.

And their playful exhibitionism has proved to be a massive hit.

With almost 30k followers on Instagram Silke Muys, from Ghent in Belgium, and Kieran Shannon, from Girvan, post a weekly ‘freaky Friday’ message online featuring a picture of the pair of them naked on their travels.

Being dancers, the couple don't go for conventional poses picture: Silke Muys

Some weeks it’s a photo of them in their birthday suits up a mountain from their previous adventures in Asia, while others are pictures taken of the pair frolicking about in Girvan in the nude with a Scottish theme.

Why do they do it?

“It’s to bring a bit of positivity to social media,” said Kieran, 27. You can feel his enthusiasm through the phone.

“We felt the hit of lockdown pretty hard.

The pair hope to get back on the road in May to continue their ten-year around-the-world trip picture: Silke Muys

“We had saved up money working together and had this plan for our life on the road, so we were at a bit of a loss when it all got brought to a standstill.

“We noticed everyone was feeling down and glum because of the pandemic so we wanted to keep up the positivity from our travels using social media. The response has been amazing, it’s kept us going.”

The pair are professional dancers, but after finishing a contemporary dance contract in Spain in May 2019, they decided to use their savings for a life on the road.

It was in India, just before the pandemic hit, when the couple were splashing about in a waterfall taking pictures of themselves naked where the nudist photography idea was born.

After sharing one photo on their instagram account last year - @silkyrontheroad - the requests for more came pouring in.

“A photographer from Canada called us when we were in India and asked if she could come and meet us to photograph us,” Kieran said.

“We then had loads more requests off the back of that and got some modelling jobs on the road.

“We did some naked photo shoots as well, across Asia, which we use for our freaky Friday during lockdown.”

Being dancers, Kieran and Silke’s poses aren’t like any conventional couple photos.

Wth their athletic figures, the pair said they enjoy using their bodies to create artistic, contemporary dance poses.

One photo from their travels shows Silke with one foot on her partner's lower spine and the other clasped in her right hand pulling her legs apart at a 180 degree angle, naked.

While their Instagram profile promotes a tongue-in-cheek motto - “free the butt” - the dancers are keen to promote body positivity on their journey.

“We are confident with our bodies and want to encourage others to be so too,” said Silke, 29.

“But when we are on our travels, we also respect different cultures and cover up where nudity is less welcome,” she added.

Kieran said his parents were “a little hesitant” about their risque photos, but have come to realise the poses are more about a form of expression than a sexual venture.

“Mum actually likes to be involved in the selection process before we post on Instagram,” he added, laughing.

But the frustration of the travel ban hasn’t only led to going full Monty for the intrepid couple.

Kieran and Silke have used their time in lockdown to plan the next stage of their ten-year trip.

“We will go back to India in May, hopefully, to pick up where we left off, then visit southeast Asia before heading to South America to travel across the continent in a van,” Kieran said.

“The final stop will be Alaska. It might be a little chilly there for ‘free the butt’, but we’ll do it.”

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