Getting to Mombasa, Kenya is going to require at least one airline flight. From most places throughout the world you will need to make at least one or more connections before you can arrive in the great tropical paradise of Mombasa.

If you have a fear of flying, it can cause you to avoid going away on vacation, especially overseas. There are a few things you can do to help overcome your fear of flying, or at least reduce it to the point where you’re not met with trembling terror when you arrive at the airport.

Consider trying one, two, or all three of these ways to see if it helps you. You don’t want to miss out on a vacation to this tropical destination because you are unable to board a plane and take that flight.

1. Spend time at the airport.

If you’ve only been to a commercial airport a few times, usually dropping people off or picking them up, you might not really pay much attention to the flights coming and going on a regular basis.

Go to the airport, sit down and watch how many planes land and take off in the space of a few hours. Depending on the airport you visit the number can total several dozen or even more. Now multiply that by thousands of airports all around the world and you realize just how safe flying is.

2. Develop relaxation strategies.

Some people prefer to listen to music, play games, and do other activities so they don’t have to think about their fears. If you have certain things you enjoy doing that help you relax, rely on these when you’re heading to the airport for your flight.

3. Consider talking to your doctor about prescription medication.

There are some prescriptions doctors can prescribe to help people relax in stressful situations. This might be helpful, but whatever you do don’t self-medicate. This means don’t try using alcohol or illicit drugs as a way to calm yourself because that will only lead to more trouble and likely missing your flight.

Mombasa, Kenya is waiting for you so get over that fear of flying and before you know it you’ll be relaxing on the gorgeous white sandy beaches with the crystal-clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean lapping gently against it.

If you’ve been SCUBA diving for many years or even most of your life, you probably already know some of the basics. If you’re heading to Mombasa, Kenya for vacation, you’re likely anticipating spending at least a few days on dives in and around these crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean.

If you’re relatively new to SCUBA diving or have never done it before but you’ve heard how amazing it is to experience the underwater adventures in Mombasa, there are three things that are absolutely essential to know about this favorite pastime of so many visitors to this region.

1. You need certification.

If you have any interest whatsoever in SCUBA diving you will need to get certified before you can rent any type of equipment. Since airlines do not allow compressed air tanks to be brought on board, you would at least need to rent a tank even if you had all of the other equipment yourself.

You won’t be able to do that without proper certification.

2. Always dive with a partner.

No one should ever dive by himself or herself. It doesn’t matter whether you are in murky water or something akin to what you’ll find in Mombasa with such clear water you can see 20, 30, and even 40 feet deep in some spots.

If you’re traveling alone, most scuba dive shops throughout Mombasa will be able to pair you up with others interested in diving the same area you will be.

3. Unless you are particular about your equipment, just bring along the basics such as a mask and fins; the rest you can rent in Mombasa.

There is no need to lug all of that heavy equipment on your flight, from the airport, and back and forth from your hotel room. You can rent everything you need at one of the dive shops in Mombasa. That can make your special vacation here that much better.

Heading to any tropical destination can be an adventure. Not only do you want to remember this for many years to come, you want to be inspired to return again in the future. There are many things you can do to help make a vacation like this one a trip to remember.

Here are four things you might want to consider that can help you capture these memories while also focusing on the right things.

1. Take pictures.

Pictures are the best way to help you capture those memories when you’re doing something new, for the first time. Make sure you take plenty of pictures of your time at the beach, in Old Town, at Fort Jesus, on the wildlife safaris, and even around the pool.

2. Don’t take too many pictures.

Yes, you want to take plenty of pictures, but you don’t want to miss out on all of the things going on around you because you are trying to view it all through a 2-inch screen. Take a couple of pictures when you first arrive at a new destination, then only capture a few more pictures with you and your family of special sites you want to hold onto. That will help you focus on living in the moment.

3. Talk about each day before you go to bed.

With your spouse, partner, family, or whoever else you traveled with, it’s a good idea to sit down and talk about all of the things you did and saw throughout the day. This is a great way to hold those memories firmly in place.

4. Review the pictures and mementos you’ve taken back home on occasion.

Every year is a good opportunity to open up your file of pictures and videos and look at them once again. The more you do, the more they will be ingrained in your memory for life. Odds are, though, when you go to Mombasa, you’re going to remember this trip for your entire life, anyway.

When you’re heading to Mombasa for a business trip or a vacation, you’re most likely going to be flying to get there. If you don’t fly a lot, you might not realize just how important it is to choose the right seats on the plane for you.

Everyone has a different idea about which seats are the best. You can certainly upgrade to business class, which will usually give you more legroom, but if you don’t want to make that investment, what seats are going to be best and help set the stage for a great trip?

It all depends on how long the flight will be.

If you are flying from Europe, you will only be on the plane for a few hours, at most. If you’re flying from North America or South America, you will be on a plane, and likely several flights, for at least 10 or even 15 hours.

Think about your comfort in this situation. If you need to get up and stretch your legs on a consistent basis, you’ll want to sit in and aisle seat so that you’re not constantly bothering the person who would be sitting in that seat as you try to get to the aisle and go to the bathroom or just stretch out.

If your flight isn’t going to be all that long and you don’t need to use the bathroom too frequently, you might enjoy sitting by the window. Not only can you get to watch the world as it cruises underneath the plane, you can see Mombasa as you fly into the airport here.

Your vacation starts the moment you’re done with work and heading to the airport. Don’t assume you have to get off the plane first in order to grab your luggage and get to your hotel. Your hotel is reserved in Mombasa, so relax. If you sit towards the back of the plane, once you land and the plane taxis to the terminal, you can stand up a little bit, stretch, and relax, but try not to be pushy to get out. Check your phone, your tablet, or continue reading that good book you are enjoying. It won’t be long before you’re off the plane, heading to the taxi service or your baggage claim area and getting started on your exciting trip.

If you have never been to Mombasa, Kenya before and you have booked this for a vacation, either by yourself or with family, there are a number of things you might want to know before you actually take off and head to this tropical destination. Here are three important things to keep in mind about Mombasa.

1. It is hot here.

If you live in the northern hemisphere, in a climate that sees snow during the winter, then you have no idea just how hot it can be at the equator. While you may have experienced the occasional day or two of temperatures being oppressive with regard to comfort, that’s still not going to prepare you for just how hot it can be near the equator.

Bring light clothing and also consider an extra bathing suit or two; you’re going to want to spend a lot of time in the ocean or the hotel pool.

2. You can get burned easily.

Because Mombasa is right along the equator, the sun is extremely intense. You may have a pretty good tan that you’ve developed back home, but you can still get burned here. You might want to consider having a swim shirt that extends down your arms and protect your shoulders if you plan on doing snorkeling or a lot of swimming in the ocean.

3. There’s plenty to do, so bring comfortable walking shoes.

Between Fort Jesus, the wildlife sanctuaries, and Old Town, Mombasa, you could end up doing a lot of walking. If you just bring along sandals or flip-flops, you could find your feet and legs sore after one long day of doing just one or two of these things. Sneakers or some other extremely comfortable walking shoes are advisable.

Okay, you’ve been looking forward to this vacation to Mombasa, Kenya for almost an entire year. There’s absolutely no way you’re going to miss this trip. When you booked your vacation, the travel agent or other representative might have asked if you wanted to take out trip interruption insurance and you immediately brushed that idea off because you knew this is a trip you are going to make, no matter what you had to do.

Two days before your trip, before your flight is to take off, you are involved in an automobile accident driving to the store to pick up an extra swimsuit for this trip. You end up in the hospital for the next two days. You have a broken bone in your leg and a dislocated shoulder. You can’t use crutches and will have to rely on a wheelchair to get around for at least several weeks.

Not only do you no longer have the desire to go on a vacation, you’re worried about work, how you’re going to take care of yourself, and much more. You certainly didn’t foresee this happening, but it did.

Even if you are determined to get to Mombasa for your vacation, in spite of your condition, you may not be discharged from the hospital in time.

Another scenario is coming down with the flu or something worse just a couple of days before your flight is scheduled to leave. Some airlines will not let visibly sick people onto their airplanes.

A third scenario could be an emergency situation at work in which your boss calls you into the office the day before your scheduled trip and tells you he needs you to stay and take care of this disaster. You tell him you’ve got your flight, hotel, and entire vacation booked, and he apologizes but says this has to be a priority.

As you can see, there are many different reasons why your vacation plans could be interrupted. If you don’t have trip interruption insurance, you could be out the cost of the airline ticket, hotel, and any other expenses you put out up front.