Just outside Grootfontein you are on the crossroads: north lies the Caprivi and its wetland wonders along with Botswana and Victoria Falls beyond that; to the east is the vast and empty Kalahari and home of the fascinating San Bushmen; to the west is Etosha National Park, which needs no introduction and to the south lies the rest of this vast country.

Accommodation is in individuals chalets of stone and thatch with exposed brickwork, rough stone tiles and chunky furniture: standard country lodge apparel in these parts. Each chalet has an en suite bathroom and air conditioning. A large, lawned garden dotted with acacias gives an air of cool tranquility and if that doesn't do enough the swimming pool will.

The lodge restaurant serves up traditional Namibian fare which entails plenty of venison, hearty South African wines and rich desserts.

Fiume Lodge is probably one of the best places to stay for the genuine Bushman experience. Their village is a long drive from the lodge - about 60km - but Jörn, your host and the owner of the lodge is fluent in the language having grown up in the area and his respect and knowledge of this ancient culture bridges the 30,000-year age difference between our world and theirs.

The game farm itself has quite a number of plains game including giraffe, the massive eland, kudu, oryx, zebra and many smaller gazelles. The waterhole at the lodge attracts many of these animals and is a wonderful place to watch the sun go down, ice cold drink in hand listening to Jörn's wonderful tales.