My husband David and I just returned from the trip of a lifetime in Kenya – yes, Africa – that place where everyone is terrified to go due to Ebola. We hope to provide some balance to that view.

The primal fear of Ebola has infected Arizona and every other state in our union. It reminds me of the early days of the AIDS epidemic, when the body of a friend who had died was not picked up for three days because even the emergency response teams were afraid to enter his home.

Ebola is deadly, of course, but it’s important to keep the facts in perspective. As our September departure date approached, we kept abreast of developments via an “as-it-happens” Google news alert and frequent visits to the Center for Disease Control website to check on travel warnings. We also conferred with our travel agent, Mountain Travel Sobek, on what they were hearing from their Kenyan counterparts.

By choosing rational, ongoing research over unthinking hysteria, we experienced Kenya, its warm people and amazing wildlife, then returned home healthy and beyond happy.

Reported cases of Ebola remain more than 3000 miles from Nairobi, yet more tourists are cancelling their safari visits to East Africa every day. As a result, the economy is truly suffering since tourism is a major contributor to Kenya’s GDP.

If you’re considering a visit to Africa, stay abreast of Ebola developments, but don’t let hysteria overcome common sense.

Instead, take a sensible approach to researching any safety concerns. If you do, you may enjoy the most fulfilling travel experience of a lifetime. (P.S. Please donate to the ongoing effort in West Africa to eradicate Ebola).