This website illuminates my life and adventures. My longing for freedom has led me to over 2600 of the world’s 3978 provinces, to every country on earth and to the summit of the highest peak on each continent (thank heaven for good weather!). In my travels, I learned to respect the intelligence and ingenuity of people of all races and callings both past and present. Come see the world as I see it: as a peaceful place, full of nature and beauty. With the right spirit and intent, we can make our world a virtual Garden of Eden.
DISTINCTIONS: BBC 2017 Travel Pioneer • Journal Articles • Explorer’s Club Flag Expeditions
World Parks Project • Walk Across South America • Jeff Shea Travel Map
Western Sahara, Beached Ship, 2000 - Western Sahara was a lonely sort of place, a lone outpost with an indefinite political affiliation. Morocco claims ownership of it, and it is listed under the International Standards Organizations as both a separate country and also as a province of Morocco. This beached ship was enormous and uncanny, sitting there, unattended on the shore near Laayoune (pronounced el-lai-yun).
Nepal, Chitwan, Rhino I Approached on Foot, 1984 - Gabrielle, Ed and I were in a machan in Chitwan National Park in southern Nepal near the border with India. Chitwan is famed for its large population of Indian One-Horned Rhinocerous. I told Gabrielle and Ed I was going down on the ground to get a close-up of the rhino. When I got to the base of the machan, they called down to me not to go near her, as she had a baby. I thought they were just trying to scare me from going, so I crept closer. When I was within about twenty-five feet of her, I saw the baby rhino. As the camera shutter snapped, the rhino reared her head. As rhinocerous are almost blind but with an acute sense of hearing, she listened to assess the danger. I had two choices: stand still or run barefoot. I chose to run. So did the rhino. She was actually running for the safety of the forest but I thought she was running after me. Fortunately she wasn't. She passed me going off in a slightly different direction. Rhinos run faster than humans. I wrote, "I felt, for the first time in my life, afraid for my life, afraid for my life because of a wild beast."
Vietnam, Dong Thap Prov, Car Vending
UK, Calderdale Prov, Foggy Town
Ghana, Berekum, Leather Salesman, 1987 - This man's facial scars were illustrative of a common practice among West Africans. I was told that parents would take a razor and scar their offspring at infancy. How interesting, I thought. If a parent did this in my home town in the western world, they would be imprisoned for a heinous crime. Yet for West African's it was a perfectly normal thing to do. Extrapolating on the phenomena of the inability of one culture to accept another's conventions, I am concerned of the ability of any world government to allow diversity of belief and cultural practices. Human beings have a tendency to believe there customs are the most acceptable. I later found out that these scars were performed with a special knife. Importantly, I am now told that such facial scarring is against the law in places like Ghana and Nigeria. I fear that such laws mark further politicizaion of local customs, engendering homogenization of the human race. I am opposed to such laws, laws that criminalize ancient customs that are not inherently harmful to a person's survival. For those in the Western world that do not agree with me, simply observe that male circumcision is widely an accepted practice in the West, but is no less inherently dangerous or disfuring than facial scarring.
Vietnam, Lao Cai Prov, Sapa Girl, Ha - Ha and Cha were friends. They sold weavings. They were happy to have their photo taken. I met them in Sapa, a wonderful place.
Latvia, Jelgava City Prov, Orthodox Church -
Slovenia, Sempeter-Vrtojba Prov, Cultivation
Vietnam, Hai Phong Prov, Incense For Sale
Vietnam, Kien Giang Prov, River Boatman -