It is another bright sunny morning in Cape Town. My loft apartment overlooks my latest luxury car rental, parked precariously in the street below me. The sun runs over its chrome bonnet, illuminating the glossy colour and partially blinding me in the process. I stagger like a toddler to my coffee maker, rubbing the sun-flares from my eyes and press the ?espresso? button with eager delight. My position as VP of a large accounting firm means that short of mainlining caffeine to steady my nerves, constantly drinking espressos is the only way to keep my brain from spinning out of control. This and executive car hire, keeps me on a steady pace.



I step into the shower and release the hot water from the showerhead. In the balmy atmosphere of my glass comfort zone, I remember that my latest luxury car rental, a BMW M6, needs to be returned by noon tomorrow. I rent cars instead of buying them. Even as a child, I didn't have the time or inclination to hold on to a toy for very long. Plus the economy today is so weak that paying off a high priced car is more expensive than most rentals of the same quality, go figure. So the M6, I first laid eyes upon it at the Geneva Motor Show in 2005. There were other fantastic cars at the show, but it was love at first sight. Do you know the feeling? When all the noise stops and movement slows to a crawl when you see the true object of your desire. These are the emotions I had when I first saw the BMW M6. It took a full year until executive car rental establishments began renting them in Cape Town, so I had to contend with lesser models in the meanwhile.

The shower's water began to pool around my bathroom floor. My fondest memories had caused a flood. I used my ex-wife's towel to mop up the floor and tossed it into the washing-basket for cleaning later. I shaved quickly and fixed my hair even faster. It is a thick crop of hair, but it looks smart when gelled back. As I tucked my cotton shirt into my pants, I glanced at the rental guide sitting calmly on my pillow. I picked it up and thumbed through the pages, eager to make a new contribution to my luxury car rental experiences. A Mercedes S-Class next perhaps, or maybe a Rolls-Royce Phantom. The prices of these executive car rentals are undeniably excellent and the combination of full insurance makes each rental a real winner. I grab my wallet and keys, heading out the door where I can look forward to a guaranteed wait for the elevator. Living on the 17th floor is not without its drawbacks.

As I press the security button on my cars remote, it greets me with a short tone as if to welcome me back. The door opens wide like the arms of friend and I slide into the plush, soft leather seating. The dashboard is computer lover's dream, with displays for every single function of the M6 ergonomically incorporated into the design of the interior. I slide the thick key into the ignition and pump the gear lever like an F1 driver, revving the powerful V10 engine into life. As I make my way down my road, my Blackberry chirps with undoubtedly important emails. But my eyes remained fixed on the road, with steady hands gripping the wheel with a fervent desire to drive. My next luxury car rental, it has to be faster.