Time to return home after eight days exploring Singapore and Malaysia

Singapore's St. Regis was a true delight.

DATELINE SINGAPORE - Just finished packing my backs and will soon be checking out of the ritzy St. Regis Hotel - a true wonder of the hotel world - to start my long journey home: an 18 hour flight to New York aboard Singapore Airlines; then a one hour flight to Toronto with Porter Airlines.

Accounting for airport waiting time, I should be home in about 24 hours. And you know what, every minute of travel time to and from Asia is worth it.

What an amazing eight days this has been.

I got to stay in the new Disneyland of the hotel world, the Marina Bay Sands Resort here in Singapore; then I journed to Malaysia to sample some of that wonderful country's genuine hospitality at the fabulous Four Seasons Resort on Langkawi Island; got to experience Langkawi's mangroves and came face-to-face with some of the most fascinating wildlife on Earth; then the cherry on top of the cake was the time spent at the St. Regis.

Of course, it may take me a few weeks to overcome the third degree sunburn I suffered while tracking down stories that I'll soon be sharing with you at travelife.ca and in TraveLife magazine. The pain and suffering I go through for you devoted readers.

Of all the wonders I saw on this trip, Langkawi and its natural beauty were the most memorable.

The sweet, hard working people of that island are truly lovely and their Muslim beliefs make them one of the most welcoming and accommodating people I have ever met. Of course, because Malaysia is a Muslim nation, some people shy away from it. Which is a crying shame.

I will return to Malaysia very soon to see Kuala Lumpur, its capital and one of the biggest and most dynamic cities in the world. And after getting a sample of jungle life in the mangroves of Langkawi, I definitely want to experience Borneo. But most of all, I want to get to know the Muslims of Malaysia better because they opened their hearts to me.

That's why I love travelling. People are what make places so special. And it was the people of Langkawi who made this trip so special for me.

I'll be in touch as soon as I get home.

Until then, safe journeys.