Meet the Trinlers
An old rafting buddy of Clay’s, Scotti Trinler is a one of a kind dude! Fun loving, charismatic and carefree, his unofficial motto is, “Porque No”…”Why not?” In other words, he is always up for a good time and more often then not, initiates the good times. His wife Sarah is a perfect compliment. A yoga master, trained in India, she now devotes her time to Yoga classes and Yoga teacher trainings. She has a beautiful spirit and radiates grace and balance in all she does. (But don’t be fooled, like Scotti, this girl knows how to party ;) Taven, there 6-month old son, is an energetic little monkey who is the sparkle in both of their eyes.
From day one with the Trinlers, a Pura Vida play button was pressed. Their mission: offer us the best time we could possibly have.
First on the list, what Scotti does for a living…Tropical Canyoning! Chasing a dream, Scotti began the first (and only) canyoning company in the area. Utilizing the nearby jungles of Uvita, Costa Canyoning offers a half-dozen repels down verdant waterfalls and steep rock walls.
Splashing into the shallow river I was wowed by the scenery and pleasantly surprised by the water temperature. Accustomed to the freezing cold waters of Switzerland’s canyons, I couldn’t believe we were wading through waters warmer then a summer’s bath. The repels were all unique and challenging in their own right, but my favorite was definitely the final (and tallest) repel. Shimmying down a slippery rock embankment, into a waterfall and ending in a gorgeous little swimming hole. Scotti and his assistant Bob, not only supervised the safety they also provided endless amounts of comic relief. Laughing our way through the canyon, these two really know how to make people feel comfortable and have a blast!
Another activity brought me back to childhood. Little League Softball! Except this team comprised of boozed up expats, half of which took their ball VERY seriously. “Hey guys, I thought this was for fun”. Stepping to the plate, I knew I had to shine! A few rockstar catches and a handful of base hits were enough to keep me smiling (not to mention a few ice cold cerveza’s) while our ultra-serious opponent went home sour losers. Go team, Go!
Another weekly activity, "Sunday Funday", began thanks to one of Scotti and Sarah’s good friends, Chuck. He and his wife own a piece of paradise that puts all others to shame. With an incredible view of the hills leading to the ocean, the property drops back into a rainforest wonderland. The Sunday expat tradition consists of booze, beers, buddies and babies. Descending into the canyon paradise, the lush path opens into a wide gorge where colorful umbrella’s dot a rocky ledge, kids of all ages play in a crystal clear stream, and moms and dads, family and friends, set amidst the beauty enjoying a few chilled beverages.
Another weekly activity, "Sunday Funday", began thanks to one of Scotti and Sarah’s good friends, Chuck. He and his wife own a piece of paradise that puts all others to shame. With an incredible view of the hills leading to the ocean, the property drops back into a rainforest wonderland. The Sunday expat tradition consists of booze, beers, buddies and babies. Descending into the canyon paradise, the lush path opens into a wide gorge where colorful umbrella’s dot a rocky ledge, kids of all ages play in a crystal clear stream, and moms and dads, family and friends, set amidst the beauty enjoying a few chilled beverages.
After an hour or so of ex"stream" relaxation, it was time for an adventure. Following the shallow stream deeper into the gorge, we clambered over rocks and swam through a series of pools to reach their famous swimming hole! Fed by a beautiful waterfall and flanked by steep cliffs (perfect for cannonballs and flips) it was truly a hidden gem for only family and friends to enjoy.
Other activities included an off-road motorcycle mission where I finally became comfortable on a bike. Learning to drive in what Scotti calls, the magical mystical bamboo forest, Clay pushed me to get over my fear. Zoom...Zoom...Zoom!
And then there was of course, SURF. Unfortunately, the swells weren’t cooperating but eventually the boys got out and there and tore it up! Me, on the other hand, well I was simply being torn up. Bashed into rocks and swallowed by waves thanks to Dominicals grunty beach break, I was reminded of my inexperience with every bruise and scrape received. |
The day would have been perfect if not for one minor problem…Fire Fingers! Note to self: NEVER and I repeat NEVER clean out two-dozen Costa Rican jalapenos with only fingertips and fingernails...especially with a few open hand wounds. I was so thankful for valium, good med's and an amazing boyfriend to change my ice water hand bath throughout the night. The only silver lining, the Jalapeno Poppers were quite delicious! |
And now we arrive at one of my fondest memories. With Sarah and Marissa (a yoga teacher in training). Inviting me into their sessions, I was given the opportunity to align my chakra’s and find my zen every morning. It only took about 2 minutes into the first class to realize just how inflexible I’ve become and how clouded my head was but after a few deep Om’s and a lot of stretching, I began to feel the addicting effects of Tranformational Yoga. Sarah lives and breathes her teachings, inside and outside of class, and simply staying in her home, cleansed me mind, body and spirit. The yoga was an added bonus ;)
A final activity to note: COOKING! If there’s one thing I miss most while traveling (aside from family and friends of course) it’s the ability to cook. Especially in countries like Central America where rice, beans and fried chicken make up the bulk of one’s diet. Swapping nights, the Trinlers cooked up a decadent beef tenderloin, thai curry, and freshly caught tuna sushi while Clay and I chose a few of our favorites, Sweet n Sour Chicken, Apricot, Cream Chesse & Chicken Pizza and a sinful pan of Carrot Cake. We ate like champs, drank like royalty and soaked in all the Pura Vida we could! |
As mentioned before, Costa Rica was not included in our initial itinerary and after 7 blissful days we had to say a reluctant sayanara. Each day spent with the Trinlers (and all their amazing friends) was paradise and our decision to journey south was one we will never forget.
Gracias por todo y mucho amor Trinlers!
Gracias por todo y mucho amor Trinlers!