Exploring a holiday in Switzerland.

One of the countries that challenges every life decision is Switzerland. You show up, sure you're headed for a weekend of "relaxing in the Alps," but all of a sudden you're wondering why your own city has potholes and why your coffee doesn't come with a side of chocolate truffle. People claim Switzerland is picture-perfect for good reason. Actually, it is. Each postcard you've ever viewed? Not a falsehood. Everything is real, and everything is a little scary.

First of all, let's discuss landscape. Should you have ever imagined mountains looking like something from a children's colouring book drawing, Switzerland has you covered. If you try to climb the Alps without adequate preparation, they are enormous, spectacular, and honestly tiring. Hiking here challenges your lifestyle choices and the veracity of your fitness app, rather than only a leisurely walk. Viewpoints though? Every wheeze and grunt is worthwhile. You'll want to snap a selfie everywhere, even if it involves blocking traffic on a small route. Yes, you need a photo with that lake looking like melted sapphire.

Then there are the cities. Zurich, Geneva, Lucerne, everyone resembles a little bit of an adult Disneyland. People who look like they actually like life instead of just pretending on Instagram, clean streets, and on-time trams. Lucerne is lovely enough that you start to wonder why you ever thought of going anywhere else in Europe. And Switzerland is a feast for those who appreciate historic architecture. Medieval castles, Gothic churches, and wooden bridges abound throughout. One could find oneself in a castle and realise they have no idea what century it is, which is rather entertaining.

Food in Switzerland is mostly an excuse to eat chocolate in public without shame. People take cheese very seriously here, and fondue is more of a spiritual experience than a meal. You might leave a restaurant smelling like melted cheese and a little guilty for not lifting your wine glass enough, but it's all part of the immersive experience. Don't even get me started on chocolate. Swiss chocolate is like the universe saying, "Okay, I see your taste buds, and I will bless them."

Travel in Switzerland is suspiciously efficient. Trains run on schedule, buses show up when they should, and you might start to question if everyone here is a hidden robot. But the efficiency is also freeing. With little time to lose, you can jump from mountain village to sophisticated city and believe you are in a travel documentary with flawless illumination.

Switzerland's humbling lesson, though, may be its most crucial feature. You'll try to climb a mountain, enter a cathedral, and eat a chocolate truffle, only to abruptly see that your own life is quite chaotic in comparison. That's alright. Switzerland is a place to visit, but it's also a place that makes you think, laugh, and be a little jealous of everyone who lives there. Perhaps, just perhaps, it's a place that helps you to understand your own messy, flawed, tiny corner of the world a little bit more.