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
Argentina, Aconcagua And Base Camp, 1993 - The base camp and mountain are picturesque in the afternoon sun. This site is reachable after a 25-mile hike up the Horcones Valley. It was two days and a night up and a full day's walk on the way back.
Turkey, Ardahan Prov, Castle
I am always amazed at the ingenuity of people worldwide in maximizing use of the capacity of their vehicles. August 7, 2013: Slept in Trincomalee town, Trincomalee district, via Mannar, Kilinochchi, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaittivu, Vavuniya and Trincomalee provinces... Today has been good, I say, because now, at 1214a, I am in a very nice guest house, smelling the delicious aroma of food coming to the kitchen. It is almost like a home with its own cook. Clean, well designed, modern, the room is literally less than 2 meters from my chair and the kitchen just off to the right. But the day has been sort of rough. I feel uncomfortably hot, battling the heat and the air conditioning alternately or simultaneously. I am uncomfortable because of so many reasons, so many disappointments, not enough time, etc. But I am happy, in the sense I am alive and I am moving, I am able to walk and see and talk, etc. RETROSPECTIVE. I woke at 550a, feeling rather down as I woke up. We were actually on the road at 630a. We stopped at a place for tea. They had fish in a light curry sauce, so I had a vegetable-stuffed bun, a sweet bread, and several cups of sweet tea. We went out to a village by the beach. We practiced karate, then I took a very short dip in the sea with Ian. After getting back to town, we took the road towards Jaffna along the sea. It went through Kilinochchi. The road was being worked on, so it town many hours as the going was slow. It took about 4 hours to get to Pooneryn. Then, not far down the road, was the land's end and a long man made road that bisected the lagoon. There is military all over this country. I guess they have reason to be worried. Apparently the civil war only ended five short years ago, after nearly 3 decades. We got to Jaffna at about 2p. We had lunch there in a busy local restaurant. We passed back into Kilinochchi province, then Mullaittivu. There was a little temple there. I stood outside it recording on video the wonderful Indian (or Sri Lankan) song. The lilting voice and simple, pleasing chords and accompanying instruments made me want to take a break from life as I know it and learn how to play this type of music. The temple, although small, was quite interesting. I took the sacraments they offered. A man, possibly a priest, though dressed in plain clothes, put coloring on my forehead. Later, we passed into Vavuniya Province. There was not much daylight left at that point. i took what photos I could. We passed into Trincomalee in the dark. I typed away. I didn't pay attention to anyone but my "studies." I almost caught up as we rolled into Trincomalee in the dark. While looking for a hotel, we heard a street procession. Novita and I walked there. It was incredible. Men dressed as horses or goblins or other wild figures, dancing like crazy to the loud horn music, illuminated by a truck with lights and followed by a float with what I suppose was a religious icon. We finally found this hotel, the Blue Wave Hotel on a quiet, unassuming street. I asked for three rooms for the price of two and they allowed it. The driver and guide got one of those. Ian and Lani got another. And Mama, myself and Ryan got another. We waited interminably for dinner, and I thought it was going to be sooo good, but it was just OK. After, I went running. I called Venus. After, I went to the room and got ready for bed. I believe I made love to Novita.
Cambodia, Phnom Penh Prov, Roasting Chickens
Ireland, Leitrim Province, We Are All Ghosts In Time, 2008, IMG_5528CU1 - Photography is the relationship between time and light. If one views reality from the perspective of an open shutter, capturing everything at once with respect to a finite amount of time, but longer than our eye normally sees, then we are like ghosts, coming and going, and leaving ethereal traces of ourselves wherever we go.
Myanmar, Mandalay Prov, Bagan Temple Detail
Turkey, Konya Prov, Landscape
UK, Hampshire Prov, Horse
Ireland, Laois Prov, J Hayes Bar
PNG, First Moments On Raft, Wara Wagi, 1983 - Sam, the villager from Ok Esai who built the raft that I used to travel down the Sepik, accompanied me down the first streches of the river to Frieda Strip, a landing area on the Frieda River for a geologic mining company. After that Sam walked back. This photo was taken in fhe first few minutes of a 10-day raft trip that started on the Wara Wagi (Wagi River) to the Frieda River and finally to the Sepik, Papua New Guinea's main river in the northern watershed.