Being one of the hairy variety, I've found reactions to my hairyness intersting in various places I have been to around the world.

My first major stop was in Japan and a friend took me to an onsen, a natural volcanic spa and a straight one at that. They give you a face cloth for a towel, so modesty is not something to have when using the place. I had gotten used to stares a forienger gets in the remote places I had visited in Japan, but the men here couldn't stop looking at my hair. I was embarrased, but the worst was yet to come. The reason they give you a small towel is that you dry yourself walking through a frame that is covered in what looked like hair dryers. While most Japenese took about 30 seconds to dry, it took me about 5 mins to do so! All part of the fun. On my last visit there a friend of my friend was so intrigued by my hair that he oh so humbly begged if he could stroke it (my chest hair, thank you very much!).

In the north of England I visited friends and we went to pool complex. I was getting a lot of looks from the locals here too. (speedos were on this time too!) One of the wives ooh-ed and ah-ed as she loves hairy men. Thankfully she didn't ask to stroke it!

A club in South London did make me feel self conscious when I arrived here years ago. I took my top off due to the extreme heat of the place (condensation was dripping from the ceiling!) and some high maintence queens nearby squeeled in horror. It took a little while, but I got over it.

I thought I'd have problems when I went to South Beach. There was your usual crew of the plucked, waxed and shaved variety there, which makes me stand out. It worried me at first, but then I thought I don't have to fit in with them and be the same - I'm on holiday! Thankfully I'm reasonably fit and (at least at the time of my visits!!), not the pot belied type. I think overall fitness is more important than shaved or hair. By fitness I mean overall fitness, not steriod induced muscles thanks!

I think people are becoming victims of the marketers ad campaings. The 70's everyone was sporting hairy chests and bush moustaches, then it was the smooth thing and now it looks like going full circle again. Again,this seems to be a western thing as other cultures don't seem to be affected by such body fascisms. At least, not that I've seen in my travels!