We flew through Westport so we could reach Fort Bragg in time for dinner. This coastal town offered many outdoor choices and although it was chilly, we had drinks outside facing a fish tank and a heat lamp.
It’s a historical town with a few museums and artifacts. Fort Bragg is also the western terminus of the California and Western Railroad’s Skunk Train, a sightseeing railroad that winds inland along the redwood-thick and rugged Noyo River gulch and over the mountains to Willits, roughly 40 miles away. Christopher Myles in Australia – you’d love this. Thought of you, so once you get your body over here, we’ll drive north.
We ended up at The Wharf for dinner where we splurged on oysters (had to have em), a bottle of chardonnay (or was it two), and sole. I couldn’t help but notice four older men all wearing the same shirt…..a golf competition was my first thought. When the wine came, they stood up and started making their rounds – table to table – to sing acapella. When they arrived at our table, I told them of my journey west.
The result: they didn’t leave us. Song after song, we had our own private concert. We ended up joining them and their wives later for desert and coffee.
The area was fairly booked up and despite the fact that there were few rooms left and rates were high, I managed to nail a $60 discount off a motel room suite with the Indian owner at the Driftwood Motel. I think he was amused by me and my tough negotiating skills – “I’ve been to India and learned from the best,” I replied. This brought a gleaming smile to his face, so we chatted for close to an hour while David snoozed in the car. When I returned, he was certain we were doomed to camp along the side of the road or sleep upright in the car. My response: “Oh no, my friend. Yee have little faith. We have a suite tonight.”
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
