Journeying Between Worlds: Reflections on Switzerland’s Grace and the Disarray of Home

Spencer Hawken
6 min readAug 20, 2023
Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

I’ve just returned from an incredible week in Switzerland. During my 10-day trip, I couldn’t help but notice the pristine cleanliness of every place I visited, the commendable behavior of the locals, and the undeniable sense of tranquility that even prevailed on the busiest days. It was an invigorating break from the routine, offering a refreshing change before stepping back into my everyday life.

But barely back in the UK, reality struck. At the airport, en route to good old Blighty (though it isn’t all that great, I must admit), I found myself in the midst of the predictable chaos of queue jostling. It was a scene of self-entitled individuals thrusting themselves in and out of lines at the boarding gate, driven by their own agendas. Once aboard the flight, the familiar announcement echoed: “Speedy boarders are invited to proceed.” And just as expected, a voice countered, “What do you mean I don’t have speedy boarding? Do you have any idea how much I paid for this flight? I demand to speak to your supervisor!” Returning home, despite the euphoria of a wonderful trip, felt like a sudden and unwelcome reality check.

Back on the ground, things weren’t much better. People bumped into me with their suitcases, seemingly oblivious to common courtesy. I couldn’t help but smile…

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Spencer Hawken

A multi-award nominated filmmaker with a passion for travel, film, finance and social media.