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
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Easter Island, Buried Moai at Rano Raraku, 1997 - Most photographs one sees of Easter Island's Moai (stone scuptures) show a standing row of them. What was more incredible to me was Rano Raraku. In thiis Easter Island site, there are many Moai which have yet to be unearthed. What makes them amazing is that some, based on the size of the head sticking above the ground, are believed to be far taller than those which are standing. This photograph shows some of the heads sticking above the ground.
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Thailand, Yala Prov, Kitchen
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Thailand, Ranong Prov, Boat
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Two Kurdish Men, 2009 Turkey, Hakkari Province (Vilayet)
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Congo Zaire, Muddy Road, 1984 - My girlfriend Gabrielle and I took a truck from far eastern Zaire near Uganda to Kisangani on the Congo River. The roads were atrocious nearly the whole way, a reddish brown mud, as shown here. The truck drivers kept talking about "Kilometer 57." Finally one night we pulled in to "Kilometer 57", essentially a village by that name fifty-seven kilometers from Kisangani (Stanleyville). What was all the excitement about? Kilometer 57 was a brothel town! The drivers invited me to a girl right in front of Gabrielle. Politely, I declined.
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India, Rajasthani Farmer With Pipe, 1984 - Judith Pollack and I came upon this farmer's village as night was falling. We were given a "de-la" to sleep in, a primitive bed on stilts with a little roof over it. In the middle of the night, we were startled by voices. Fearing attack I looked up. It was the village men planting by moonlight. Here, the farmer smokes a Rajasthani pipe. It was cleverly crafted with a chamber for tobacco, one for water and one for a burning ember.
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Thailand, Opium Smoking, 1984 - On my first visit to Thailand I took a short trek in the hills outside of Chiang Rai. At night our porters smoked opium on the floor of our hut. On the second night, Lode Vanhoot, a fellow trekker from Holland, and I tried smoking with them. A long conversation took place. I did not feel high. But when we tried to stand, it was as if our bodies were drunk, although our minds felt clear.
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Slovenia, Kobilje Prov, Crooked Wood House
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Slovenia, Dobrepolje Prov, Hay Cutter
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Greenland, Stray Dog West Aerial July 16, 2007 - Four days after the discovery of Stray Dog West on foot, we flew over the island on the way back to Norway. This is the new northernmost point of land in the world. It is north of Kaffeklubben. It is now an official place on Shea's Register of the World. (IMG_5257R) Stray Dog West lies at 83?40'30" north latitude.