Truly, there are different degrees of rich.

The saying goes that when you are rich, you will come to realise that there are many degrees of rich. Some people are truly rich, while most others are barely rich. After reading this article in TheStar today, I've come to realise how extremely poor I am.

The Mandarin Oriental in KL, arguably the most posh hotel in the city, is throwing a charity event in conjunction with the upcoming Formula 1 race. It is auctioning two nights' stay in it's Presidential Suite, starting at RM 259,999. Any additional amount paid on top of the original room rate of RM 260k will go to a local children's organisation of choice. Wah lau eh!

For that kind of money, you can already buy a house in most other parts of Malaysia, and not just temporary lodgings for two nights. I cannot begin to even imagine the kind of service that you're supposed to get for that kind of money. So, reading on, the package includes breakfast (RM 3,600), F1 paddock club passes (RM 30,000), spa (RM 79,000), chauffeur driven BMW 7 limo (RM 20,000), dinner (RM 49,000) and two watches (RM 98,000).

Now, I'm really curious about the RM 3,600 breakfast, which can easily feed someone three meals a day for a whole year. It must take someone with a very special palate to appreciate it. The RM 49,000 dinner is just too crazy for me to even imagine. Must include a lot of very exotic creations and intoxicating alcohol that I'll never begin to appreciate.

If someone really wanted to donate to charity, I would encourage them to just donate the RM 260k directly to any children's charity of their choice. For one, I'm sure that the Ti-Ratana home (my children's charity of choice) would appreciate that kind of money. If you're able to spare more, that's even better. The money will go a long way in helping make the lives of many many children better.