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
Congo Zaire, Children, 1984 - This was taken on my first visit to the Congo, then known as Zaire. I was impressed by how happy the children seemed. I realized then that material wealth was not a guarantee of happiness; ironically, it seemed that children smiled and laughed more in poor places than in rich.
Bangladesh, Netrakona Prov, Cart
Pacific Ocean, Boysie Day, 1982 - In the center of this photograph is Boysie Day. Boysie was a professor in World Agriculture at UC Berekley. He took me along as crew on his third and final voyage around the Pacific Ocean in 1982-3. Boysie was a great storyteller. He changed my life by allowing me the opportunity to crew on his boat. It was the beginning of my 26-month journey around the world, mostly accomplished on land and sea. This was perhaps my greatest adventure.
Kazakhstan, Mausoleum City, 1998 - On the way across Kazakhstan, we spotted this 'mausoleum city' in the middle of nowhere.
Azerbaijan, Dashkasan Prov, Dashkesan Town
Slovenia, Divaca Prov, Woman With Cane
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.
Slovenia, Menges Prov, Man And Woman
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.
UK, Calderdale Prov, Village Called Stone Chair