Finally back on the 'black-top' and heading north to the Top End! Our first stop to reminisce was Mataranka Homestead Hot Springs. Last time we were here in 1998 it was over-run with flying foxes which had destroyed the natural vegetation and contaminated the thermal springs. However, they seem to have found ways to control the mammals so it was a welcome relief to soak in the beautiful, clear warm waters of the springs. We decided to stay the night as the park was beautiful and not spoilt by tourism, so it was lovely to have a nice cold drink on the deck listening to some live music! We continued on further as we wanted to spend a couple of days at Edith Falls - somewhere we had never been when we lived in the territory. What a wonderful place! We had such a great time enjoying the enormous natural rock pool and waterfall, as well as hiking up to the top of the falls (only 2.4km loop) where the views were just spectacular and the rock pools and falls amazing to swim in. We swam around a little island and through the waterfall and then floated with the current back to where we started. There was even a round deep pool - about 1.5m diameter - cut out of the cliff which some of the younger ones dropped into and then swam out underneath the rock! The camping area also had lovely grassy sites and a friendly atmosphere, so we were sad to leave, but wanted to make it to Darwin in order to see Mum & Dad after their trip to Bali.....!