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
Thailand, Phetchabun Prov, Landscape
Slovenia, Brezice Prov, Hay Balls
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."
Slovenia, Loska Dolina Prov, Tree
Myanmar, Shan Prov, Cart Wheel
Slovenia, Celje Prov, Oaza Prekorje
Nepal, James's Frostbite, 1995 - James Allen was the youngest member of our Everest team in 1995. He became the youngest Australian at that time to summit the mountain. On the famed Second Step (near where Mallory met his end), James took off his outer glove for one minute. Even though he still had on his inner gloves, he got frostbite. They say the after-effects of frostbite are very painful. James lost only a small portion of his two frostbitten fingers.
Turkey, Bitlis Prov, Sheep Camp Milking
Tokelau, Tokelau Prov, Emotional Rescue - Tokelau, Emotional Rescue, 2001 - We chartered the Emotional Rescue for a trip from Samoa to Tokelau, then to the Phoenix Islands as far as Canton, then to Wallis. I came down with malaria several days from Wallis and suffered in the hot sun in the open sea.
Falkland Is, Port Stanley, 2006 - On the way back from a brief moment on shore, I took this photograph from the Zodiac, going back on to the ship. I had heard long ago, in a book by Galen Rowell, that these phenomena are called god beams.