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
Estonia, Ida-Virumaa Prov, Canal To Lake -
Slovenia, Zrece Prov, Snow Flower
N Ireland, North Down Prov, Waterfront Night
Myanmar, Ayeyarwady Prov, Tea Shop Kitchen
Slovenia, Store Prov, Scrap Metal
Bangladesh, Sylhet Prov, Fabric Detail
Taiwan, Hualien Prov, Coast
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.
Tibet, Xegar, View Of Valley From Top Of Hill, 1995 -
Xegar, also known as Tingri, is on the way from Lhasa to Everest's Rongbuk Base Camp. We climbed the hill above Xegar, for the lama said if you could see Everest from there, it was good luck. We were about to head down when the clouds parted and Everest appeared. This photograph shows the valleys and hills below. The monastery that once coveted the ridge up the mountain was destroyed by invading forces.
Indonesia, Maluku, Ambon, Student Of The Koran, 2007 - In the back streets of the Batu Merah district on the island of Ambon in Maluku province of Indonesia, a young girl takes a lesson in the evening in writing Arabic and reading the Koran from Om Ba.