Holiday guide to Norway.

Among the nations that have you doubting every life decision not involving living somewhere with mountains looking like they were photoshopped by nature itself is Norway. Arriving and seeing fjords so sharp and dramatic they resemble they might slice your ego in half makes it difficult not to feel a little humbled. Other visitors and I spend a sizable amount of our vacation strolling around with mouths somewhat open and phones at full battery, capturing images we know will never do the area justice.

Oslo comes first; it's somewhat similar to a Scandinavian concept of "cool but not trying too hard." Drink pricey coffee while pretending you're sophisticated, stroll along the promenade, see the odd architecture of the Opera House, and meander about the seaside. The museums are also excellent, notably the Viking Ship Museum, where you can gaze at real boats from more than a thousand years ago and ponder how people formerly traversed oceans without Wi-Fi. It's terrible and humbling.

Bergen, the entrance to the fjords, is so beautiful that you might expect its inhabitants to be actors in a never-ending tourism film. The vibrant wooden homes along Bryggen are stunning, and riding the Fløibanen funicular up to the summit of Mount Fløyen will provide you with a view so breathtaking you may momentarily consider quitting your work only to reside there. It ironically rains a lot, so you also get to work on the Norwegian skill of smiling courteously while soaked and acting as though it's all part of the experience.

The fjords, then, are Norway's genuine stars. Essentially, nature's way of showing off is the Geirangerfjord and the Nærøyfjord. Boat rides along these small canals seem like you've stumbled across a postcard. From glacier walks to kayaking, there will be plenty to keep hikers and adrenaline junkies busy; however, regular walkers like me typically stop every five minutes to say, "Wow, this is unreal," which probably irritates the more experienced hikers.

Norway is among the finest sites to hunt the Northern Lights as well. For hours, you wait in subzero temperatures hoping the heavens will provide a show, and when they do, it's the sort of magic that makes your cold fingers totally worth it. Standing beneath the aurora, knowing the cosmos is beautifully indifferent to your Instagram post, there is a strange humility in this.

Food in Norway is surprisingly excellent, yet be ready to spend on it. Trying to decipher what anything on the menu really is can seem like a little existential crisis, and traditional foods like brown cheese or fresh seafood are an experience.

Visiting Norway helps one to value basic things like mountains, fresh air, and the truth that some areas on Earth exist practically exclusively to humiliate us. It is worthwhile even if it is pricey, sometimes wet, occasionally perplexing, but always. You visit for the views, but you stay for the peaceful moments of inspiration when you see that yes, you are really on one of the most spectacularly overachieving planets.