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
Latvia, Aizkraukles Prov, Wall -
Slovenia, Pesnica Prov, Restaurant
UK, Rochdale Prov, Factory
Papua New Guinea, Gera Chief Castrating Goat, 1983 - Gera's chief castrated this goat. Although this photograph is grotesque, I felt it was important. The villagers clearly enjoyed the proceeding. At first I thought they were cruel and primitive for expressing joy while the poor animal screamed. Then I reflected that in my own modern society, many animals are slaughtered for food, but I am insulated from it. It takes place on ranches and in meat factories, far from the sensibilities of everyday people. In Melanesian society, the realities of survival were dealt with directly. It really was not more primitive, just more direct, hence more realistic. This was revelatory for me.
UK, Derby Prov, Blonde
N Ireland, Armagh Prov, Sheep Under Tree
Egypt, Luxor Obelisk, 1984 - Obelisks originated in ancient Egypt, often used at the entrance to tombs and embellished with hieroglyphs. This fantastic example is in Luxor.
Slovenia, Cerknica Prov, Rabbit Eye
Slovenia, Dobrova-Polhov Gradec Prov, Landscape
India, Jammu and Kashmir Province, Lamayuru, 1999 -
I had just come from Tibet, where my Russian friends and I had driven to the highest point ever driven, (near Yangshaoping, Tibet), 5726 meters. Now I was on the road from Sringar to Leh, probably the most hair-raising I’d ever been on. It was made of dirt and had no barriers around turns where the drop off was seemingly interminable.
October 9, 1999 - written in Leh at the end of the day at an altitude of 3524 metres (11,562 ft) - The route took us through mostly barren territory today, from Kargil to Leh. The highlight of the day was seeing Lamayuru. Ashlem had told me it was like a moon land in 1974 when it opened up. Even today, the aspect of the village and the stupa was remarkable. There, an old poor woman collected shit into her basket, tossing the pieces off the ground backwards. There were stupas where very fine green and purple prayer stones were scattered by the thousands. I took an 8x10 image of them with Lamayuru in the background.
When we returned I discovered that the road to the Sia La (in Pakistan, or is it a no-man's land?) was motorable at least as far as Pamimuk in the Nubra Valley. The Sia La is 6200 meters high. I am still unclear on whether George and I (and Sasha and Sergei) really did go higher than anyone else? I enjoyed making love to Novita tonight more than I have ever before. (And again, and again.)
The village of Lamayuru was picturesque. Just outside the village, the road was lined with prayer stones. These stones were carved by devout Buddhists over the centuries. I was always fascinated how such veritable works of art could remain unmolested by hundreds of years of passersby.