It’s not often that San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, is host to international celebrities, but it’s fair to say that when they do come, they fall in love with the town’s charm, just like the rest of us. Such was the case with Margot Robbie, the leading lady in Martin Scorceze’s most recent film, ‘Wolf of Wall Street’. Margot came to San Juan on a whim after chatting with her longtime friend, Steffany, both of whom grew up on the Gold Coast of Australia, leaving in their late teens to pursue their dreams. After just of week of getting to know these girls it became clear to us at Chica Brava that these girls thrive on adventure and challenge…they were right at home. In fact, Steff and Margot vibed so well with the Chica Brava lifestyle they even extended their stay, and almost didn’t leave!
These Aussie’s brought an incredible dynamic to the group of nine women that attended camp last week, orchestrating things like water gun fights, easter-egg decorating, nail art sessions, and tea time. Leave it to an Aussie to bring the hospitality of a great cup of tea wherever they go! In the surf Margot mastered going left down the line, winning the ‘most goofy’ award at the end of the week (goofy is when you surf with your right foot forward), while Steffany won MVP (most valuable player), as she always put her concern for others first.
In all the ample time the girls had between surfing and the million other activities they did (catamaran, ziplining, hiking, yoga, etc.), they managed to fit in another vocation; babysitting! Owner and founder of Chica Brava, Ashley Blaylock-Cabrales, has a beautiful 6-month old baby boy named Alex who is so cute we all compete over who gets to hold him! Aside from falling in love with the town and the surf, Margot Robbie also fell in love with little Alex at first sight, and Margot’s best day in the water was the day Ashley brought her little man along, lucky charm that he is!
Margot and Steffany booked their trip with Chica Brava because they wanted an active, adventurous vacation. These ladies thrive on the challenges and unknowns inherent to travel, and they were truly a pleasure to have on board. The waves were rough at times, the days were long and jam packed, and the their arms turned into rubber after hours of paddling, as surfing is not for the faint of heart. But for these hard core Aussie’s the hardest part of surf camp had nothing to do with surfing itself…and everything to do with saying good-bye. There were hugs, there were smiles, there was laughter and there were tears. After extending their trip an extra two days, we reminded the chicas that there is one silver lining to leaving; you can only come back if you leave! Until then, keep taking life on with love and laughter, Chica Brava style!