Out of America's Never-Never: Two Weeks on the Colorado Plateau

Sunrise in Goblin Valley State Park, Utah

Say Never-Never Land and most people immediately think of Peter Pan and Captain Hook, but the term has an older meaning of which J.M. Barrie was probably unaware. The Never Never is a remote and largely inaccessible part of the Northern Territory and Queensland of Australia's Outback. To some, it is a place that one would "never, never" want to go (despite this neat-sounding trip). To some of those who live there, it is a place one would never, never want to leave.

I see many parallels between Australia's Outback and the American Southwest, especially the Colorado Plateau. Most of the local populations live on the margins of the region, and until recent decades anyway, many parts remained unexplored by people of European descent. To others it has been home for thousands of years. The lands are ancient, each revealing a fascinating geological story.

So welcome to America's Never Never. I've just returned from my latest journey through the wonderful landscapes of the Colorado Plateau, and although we mostly followed modern highways, we could sense the isolation and wildness that is still inherent to this country. I hope you will enjoy the journey over the next few weeks in pictures and stories.

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, Utah