This website illuminates my life and adventures. My longing for freedom has led me to over 2450 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
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Latvia, Riga City Prov, Wall Painting -
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Slovenia, Cerkno Prov, Bee In Flower
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PH, Davao Del Norte Province, Sam, Cotabato Driver, 2008, IMG_1454 - After my first driver in Mindanao completely chickened out of going to Cotabato, Sam - who was from Cotabato - said, "No problem." Grateful, I promised him he'd be Jeffshea.com's Hall of Fame. So here it is, Sam! The only problem, on my second journey there, was that Sam's van had an exhaust leak. After two days, I found my body was covered in soot. I feared for my lungs! But by now I have forgotten about it.
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San Blas, Portrait Of A Girl, 2000 - The San Blas Islands are off the east coast of Panama. This young woman was representative of the type of adornments that women uses. Note the nose ring through her septum. Across the bottom part of her breasts, she wears a mola. I have a theory about the molas. I believe that in ancient times, the molas were painted on bare breasts. I long to either find such women living naturally, or to recreate the scene in a photograph.
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Myanmar, Sagaing Prov, Female Monks
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Azerbaijan, Samux Prov, Sheep Along The Dyke
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Vietnam, Quang Ngai Prov, Barrel Transport
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Azerbaijan, Astara Prov, Landscape
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Antarctica, Jeff Shea Completes the Seven Summits Atop Mount Vinson, 1997 (with flag) - This summit was my completion of the Seven Summits: Climbing the highest mountain on each continent: Asia (Everest), Europe (Elbrus), South America (Aconcagua), North America (Denali), Australia (Kosciusko), Africa (Kilimanjaro) and Antarctica (Mount Vinson). It was so cold that when I pulled my film to load it into the camera, it snapped in two. The Flag was designed by Banner Arts' John Dugger for my project Seven Summits for a Free Tibet. The Dalai Lama wrote a letter of commendation for my project. He later spoke in front of a banner made of this design.
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India, Rajasthan, Throng of Kids, 1984 - This throng of children was typical when we passed a village on our walk to the Taj Mahal. It was not unusual to have fifty people watching me do something as uneventful as removing a toothbrush from my pack. Sometimes the youngsters would heckle us; after many days of this it became unbearable.