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Beth Sandland

Three Weeks in India Itinerary: Amritsar, Delhi and The Golden Triangle

02/12/2020 · INDIA, TRAVEL

Three weeks in India Itinerary, Rajasthan route, Jaipur, Patrika Gate

 

Of all my world travels, India was the country I was most nervous about winging-it in. It was undoubtedly the most challenging environment and the vastness daunted me a little. Although Amritsar was definitely an ‘in the deep end’ introduction to India, our three weeks spent travelling around Rajasthan were bursting with vibrancy and fun! Here is my three weeks in India itinerary. You could also follow it as a ‘two weeks in Rajasthan’ route!

I’ll follow up with individual blog posts on each city, but for now here’s an overview of our route, where we stayed and a couple of must sees!

 

Three Weeks in India Itinerary

 

First stop: Amritsar

We flew from Colombo, Sri Lanka in to the Punjab city of Amritsar. It borders closely with Pakistan and is home to the most sacred Sikh pilgrimage site in the world: The Golden Temple.

Amritsar was all things heat and hassle. It’s intense, busy and a lot to take in. It’s also culturally vibrant, bursting with excellent street food and ultimately very friendly, genuinely helpful people.

Where we stayed: goStops Hostel
  • Good location though does require a walk
  • Mattress like a plank of wood
  • No windows in private bedroom
  • Friendly staff & activities
  • Ultimately wouldn’t stay again
Cool things to do in Amritsar
  • Visit the Golden Temple
  • Buy a Punjabi scarf from one of the shops
  • Do a street food tour with Amazing Amritsar Tours (one of our favourite activities on our India trip!)
  • Learn about the XX
  • Go to the Wagah Border Show

 

Three weeks in India Itinerary: Amritsar

Street food seller in Amritsar

 

Then onto: Delhi

We took the train from Amritsar to Delhi. Train travel in India is a great way to get around and a cool experience.

Tip: Booking trains in India it can be very complicated as a foreigner – use 12GoAsia in advance or ask a local to help you book online for a small commission.

I loved our weekend in Delhi! Rather than visit the obvious tourist spots, we headed to Old Delhi and wandered around Chandni Chowk. It’s a gigantic market area and you’ll see all sorts of weird and wonderful things being sold from the lanes and lanes of little bazaars.

I also really enjoyed the bustling Main Bazaar Road where we stayed. Eat at Krishna Cafe – we went there for breakfast and dinner and loved the food, service and view.

Where we stayed: Backpackers Heaven @ New King
  • Good location right near New Delhi station
  • Comfy private room
  • Helped sort a SIM card (tricky as a foreigner)
  • Helped book onward train travel for a small fee
  • Would stay again and recommend
Cool things to do in Delhi
  • Explore and shop the markets of Chandi Chowk
  • Take a food tour of Old Delhi
  • Eat at Krishna Cafe overlooking the crazy square below

 

Three weeks in India Itinerary : Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk

 

Next stop: Agra (Taj Mahal)

We took the short train journey from Delhi to Agra purely to visit the Taj Mahal. It didn’t disappoint. When I thought of India, the famous white marble palace was what I’d conjure in my head.

I’ll write a separate post on tips for visiting the Taj because I have many but it’s definitely worthwhile. You can time it so you only spend one night in Agra. Visit the Taj early then carry onwards on your trip.

Where we stayed: Joey’s Hostel
  • Amazing view of the Taj from the rooftop
  • Comfy, large private room
  • Very noisy: rooms are around a central atrium and TV/loud chatting noise was very annoying late at night with a very early alarm set
  • Expensive for a hostel but very short walk to the Taj
  • Good but very westernised food served in the hostel 
  • Would stay again for the Taj

 

Three weeks in India Itinerary : Taj Mahal, Agra, Joey's Hostel

 

My favourite of the cities: Jaipur

We left Agra and took a train to Jaipur. This was my favourite city for the sheer beauty and magnitude of the architecture and palaces.

Where we stayed: Bunkstop Hostel
  • Good location to explore via Tuktuk (you can book these on Uber)
  • Comfortable private room
  • Room very, very light at night
  • Hostel advertised activities not running
  • Would stay again but there are plenty of other great hostels in Jaipur to choose from
Where we stayed: Samode Palace Hotel (press stay)
  • Absolutely stunning former palace with grand suites, beautiful grounds and exquisite lounge rooms
  • Large swimming pool
  • Brilliant food (though room service lacked so would only recommend dining in the restaurant)
  • Relatively far outside of the centre of Jaipur and quite remote (equalled very overpriced taxi to airport as no Uber etc)
  • Would absolutely stay again and would recommend as a bucket list stay for the sheer beauty of the palace itself!
Cool things to do in Jaipur
  • Visit the Patrika Gate
  • Visit the City Palace
  • Visit the Amber Fort (we missed this due to sightseeing fatigue and it upset me to here they give elephant rides to ignorant tourists)
  • Stay at Samode Palace (I’d list this as a thing ‘to do’ – it’s more than just a hotel!)
  • Shop at Bapu Bazar

 

Samode Palace Hotel Jaipur Review Three weeks in India Itinerary  Samode Palace Review Rajasthan Itinerary Patrika Gate Jaipur Samode Palace Review

 

 

Next stop: Jaisalmer

We flew from Jaipur to Jaisalmer. It’s the gateway to the Thar desert and unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been. We were fortunate to stay at Suryagarh, where they arranged meals and excursions.

I can’t recommend Suryagarh highly enough. The attention to detail is outstanding! The hotel is relatively new but has been built so sympathetically within the landscape of the desert that it looks as though it must have been there forever, in the best possible way.

The food is a gastronomic delight, if excessively portioned. The salt treatment at the spa was an almost other worldly experience (I felt like I was floating!) and the staff are so passionate and knowledge about the desert environment.

If you are looking for a truly special stay, Suryagarh is it. It’s one to put on the bucket list and save for and then simply arrive and let Suryagarh look after you. You’ll leave with a full belly and a head full of incredible folklore and stories!

Where we stayed: Suryagarh (press stay)
  • Modern, attractive bedrooms and no little touch unthought of
  • Knowledgable and passionate staff
  • Excellent food and a wide range of choice
  • Mesmerising desert location
  • Would absolutely stay again!
Cool things to do in Jaisalmer:
  • Take a guided tour of the Golden City
  • Shop for beautiful hangings at Craft Palace, Sanwala Para (the pieces are made from recycled saris and garments)
  • Venture into the Thar desert

 

Three weeks in India Itinerary: Jaisalmer, Thar desert, Rajasthan, Suryagarh hotel review, dunes Food at Suryagarh hotel jaisalmer review Handicrafts quilt making wall hanging from Jaisalmer India

 

Stop number five: Jodhpur

I’ll be honest, Jodhpur was my least favourite stop on our itinerary. It may simply be that I was tired and a bit fed up of moving on every two or three nights. In hindsight I would have also preferred to have stayed in centrally located properties.

Where we stayed: Rohetgarh
  • Very peaceful lakeside former palace with pretty rooms and large gardens
  • Lovely swimming pool
  • Some beautiful original features
  • Serves good western food! By this point I was very happy to be offered some pasta…
  • Isolated feeling and a little far outside of Jodhpur itself, unless you’d rather stay somewhere peaceful and arrange excursions via the hotel (not usually my style)
  • I would not choose to stay again due to the rural location but I would check out their sister property Mihir Garh for total relaxation (it’s stunning!) or their new central Jodhpur property, which I think would’ve been better suited for us 
Cool things to do in Jodhpur:
  • Umaid Bhawan Palace
  • Nirvana House rooftop restaurant

 

Rohetgarh hotel review: three weeks in India itinerary

Three weeks in India itinerary: Rohetgarh Rajasthan

Jodphur the blue city

 

Final stop: Udaipur

The final stop in our three weeks in India itinerary. Unfortunately there’s no train station in Udaipur so we had to hire a driver. This limited experience did make me so glad we had travelled by train for the rest of our trip! Using a driver was a lot more expensive, less comfortable, took longer and felt more hassle. (No, you can’t stop at your friends restaurant en route, no we don’t want to go a monkey temple… etc etc).

Udaipur is stunning. Stay lakeside and I promise you will have such a peaceful time. It’s such a different Indian experience to the bustling cities and was a perfect way to round off our time.

If I’m honest, we didn’t actually do much. Instead we relished the views of the lake from the hotel and used the time to rest.

Where we stayed: Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel (press discount)
  • Stunning lakeside location with views of the famous Taj Palace Hotel
  • Brilliant restaurant serving excellent Indian and western dishes
  • Central to all the main ‘things to do’ in Udaipur
  • Beautiful, cool interiors and plenty of lakeside window seats to relax with a good book in
  • I would definitely stay again; we actually paid to extend our stay here as we loved it so much!

 

Three weeks in India itinerary: Udaipur Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel Review Three weeks in India itinerary: Udaipur Jagat Niwas Palace

 

I hope that gives you a good idea of our three weeks in India itinerary! Keep an eye out for in depth posts on each city.

 

Pin my Three Weeks in India Itinerary for later!

Three weeks in India Itinerary: a route around Rajasthan, Delhi, Amritsar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer

Posted In: INDIA, TRAVEL

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I am a multi-award winning blogger, photographer and writer from London. I’ve travelled to over 38 countries, lived out of a backpack for a year and love to scuba dive! This site is a destination for all things travel, lifestyle and my successful online book club.

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Tuesday shelfie! About as exciting a caption as we Tuesday shelfie! About as exciting a caption as we’re gonna manage today, on what feels like day 72 of January. If you’re feeling a little spruce up there are 35 neutral homeware pieces for under £30 in a new blog post - link in bio! 🤍
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Everything tagged! Paint is Farrow & Ball Setting Plaster. Shelves are Funky Chunky Furniture. And that’s my lovely dried wedding bouquet 🥰
Nursery pending 👶🏼🌈🎨 I’ve hated this Nursery pending 👶🏼🌈🎨 I’ve hated this room for the last year. After our first loss it completely taunted me and I couldn’t bring myself to do anything with it other than use it as a giant Monica cupboard. It’s been called so many things - ‘the middle room’, ‘the spare room’, it even stayed as ‘Emily’s room’ for a long time after our lodger moved out - but now we finally call it the baby’s room 🥰🤍 #week28 #thirdtrimester #nurserydecoration #pregnancyafterloss
Week 27: extra hormonal, everything is stretching, Week 27: extra hormonal, everything is stretching, bub is the size of a cauliflower in this bizarre compare babies to fruit & veg game...👶🏼🥦🌈
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😭 Hormonal wreck: I haven’t really had mood swings at all throughout pregnancy but oh my goodness have the hormones got me good this week. There have been tears. And hysterical sobbing. Sorry husband.
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🏀 Basketball belly: the stretch is real! My uterus is now firmly up under my ribs and I swear I can feel them slowly pulling apart. I cried when I sneezed - “it’s like someone STABBED me” (see point 1). Everything feels very round and my old belly piercing scar is not thrilled about life...
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👈🏼 Still an innie: ....just. It’s more like a saucer where it was once a cereal bowl.
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🦒 All the cute things: we’ve decided on a neutral safari themed nursery. Says the person who hates themes.
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💸 “But they’re so small...😭”: I’m officially on a tiny clothes shopping ban. I’ve rinsed eBay and some lovely small brands (and the Zara sale) and I get an eye roll every time I smuggle a new parcel into the nursery.
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🥴 Tasting everything 6 times over: Hi reflux.
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📖 Reading: Your Baby, Your Birth by Hollie de Cruz is next on my bedside table.
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#27weekspregnant #pregnancyafterloss #rainbowbaby #secondtrimester 
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Two things in life that you just can’t have too Two things in life that you just can’t have too much of: books and tea. My survival tools! ☕️📖💫
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Here are 3 titles I’ve read recently (and rated 5/5 - I’m a harsh critic) that are perfect if you need a pick me up or some escapism...
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1. The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley: an old man leaves a notebook in a cafe for a stranger to find telling his ‘truth’ and challenging them to do the same. The catalyst for a web of unusual friendships and genuine, warm characters...
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2. Educated by Tara Westover: a memoir that reads a little like a fiction depicting Tara’s life growing up in a strict Mormon family in Idaho with a survivalist father who is battling undiagnosed mental illness. They don’t believe in formal education or medicine and any form of governance is the work of the Illuminati. Covers some heavy themes (tw: abuse) and is extremely interesting and engaging.
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3. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams: sometimes laugh out loud funny, sometimes poignantly sad, Queenie is a vivacious twenty-something growing up as a black woman in an ever gentrifying south London. A crap boyfriend, covert racism and a battle with anxiety paint a backdrop whilst she navigates daily life. It’s excellent!
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Hit save for later or tag someone who needs some reading inspo 📚 What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
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Join/follow: @bethsbookclub_ 🥰
Love a good wedding-stalk? In it for the pics? Wha Love a good wedding-stalk? In it for the pics? What to know *exactly* what a teeny tiny BIG day of just 4 guests might actually look like? Link in bio 👰🏻💓
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Photos:  @victoriasomersethowphotography 
Hair: @whiteman.soho 
Make up: Keeley Wilson MUA
Flowers: @emmahewlettfloraldesign 
Dress: ASOS
Plant mom 🌿✌🏼 ⠀ Monty the monstera is go Plant mom 🌿✌🏼
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Monty the monstera is going to start eating dentists soon. My top tips for a super healthy swiss cheese plant -
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🌱 A lovely bright spot away from direct sun (not a problem in winter) and radiators.
🌱 Intuitive watering: stick your finger in and water when the top 2” of the soil are dry, rather than to a set schedule. The amount needed depends on your plant (I use around 700ml approx every 10 days) but make sure you’ve got good drainage!
🌱 Every now and again I like to put it in the garden when it’s raining (in the spring/summer) or under the shower. Rain is best if possible as hard tap water can cause mineral build up on the soil.
🌱 Moss pole! Train it to grow upwards with a strong pole and ties.
🌱 Wipe dust off the leaves (shower also does this) and use a spritz bottle regularly.
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If it’s looking sad it’s probably an issue with water or light! #urbanjungle #monsteramonday
26 weeks: mini diary 🤍 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 26 weeks: mini diary 🤍
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With less than 2 weeks until the final trimester I thought I’d try and document weekly, as much for me to look back on. This photo is already a week old and I seem to be growing by the day!
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What’s the crack this week?...
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😴 Sleepy AF: A new wave of exhaustion has hit. It makes sense - babies generally double their weight between 24-28 wks. I’ve started going to bed earlier/falling asleep at 9pm in front of Bridgerton.
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🤧 Pelvic floor: Sneezing brings ALL the fear!
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🐙 Movement: I saw my belly move from the outside like a scene from Alien for the first time. At bed time it feels like a small octopus is doing the Macarena in my uterus. It’s still the most magical feeling in the world.
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👶🏼 Prep: The pram arrived this week! We ordered it in a brilliant Silver Cross sale. I was feeling a bit flat about the loss of that ‘pram shopping with my bump’ experience due to lockdown but putting it together made me happy - it’s so beautiful! And so surreal - we own a pram!
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📖 Reading: The Positive Birth Book by @milli.hill. It puts across all options in a clear, non-judgey, humorous way and has made me think of things I’d never heard of. It’s also the first time I’ve understood what a birth plan might physically look/read like.
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🧘🏼‍♀️ Hypnobirthing: I’ve started to feel more nervous about the birth (not the actual act or the pain, rather fears I won’t share as don’t want to project) but we’re starting hypnobirthing online next week which I’m looking forward to!
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👯‍♀️ Following: @birth_ed, @takingcarababies, @mixing.up.motherhood are accounts that are bringing joy/invaluable info.
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#26weeks #rainbowbaby🌈 #secondtrimester #pregnancyafterloss
I loved being a pregnant bride. Often a baby is a I loved being a pregnant bride. Often a baby is a reason to delay or speed up a wedding (lots assumed that was the case for us, but it wasn’t!) and is generally seen as perhaps spoiling things a little. It’s totally fine if you do feel that way, but for us it made it extra magical. It felt totally right to have our little bub between us as we exchanged vows and I was happy to embrace the bump in my dress. I still chose exactly the look and fit I wanted and wore the sparkly heels and in a way, I found trying dresses on much lower pressure as I wasn’t worrying about my figure. Perhaps the biggest difference was staying sober and the fact that we had a tiny wedding with a fancy lunch rather than a party probably made this a lot easier. I raised a toast with our four guests but beyond that, I didn’t have any inclination to drink anyway. Bonus - a great nights sleep and no hangover! 🥂👰🏻
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Photographer: @victoriasomersethowphotography
Dress: ASOS
Box fresh kicks ready to explore [from the bedroom Box fresh kicks ready to explore [from the bedroom to the kitchen, to the loo...aaand repeat]...at least they’ll stay clean 🥴☕️
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Type into browser: https://rstyle.me/cz-n/ewjdwzcbq2x (junior size 🤑 if under a UK 5.5)
AD: Pregnancy has given me a lot of time to reflec AD: Pregnancy has given me a lot of time to reflect on my relationship with alcohol over the last year. 🍸 I flitted between giving it up when pregnant or for fertility purposes, then using it as an emotional crutch in loss which made me more anxious and restless. This time - now 6 months pregnant - I haven’t had a drink since August and have been really pleasantly surprised by how little I’ve missed it, even over the festive season. I’m not into vilifying booze; I enjoy a couple of drinks and even the feeling of lowered inhibitions and being tipsy. But I know that even post-pregnancy and the other-side of the hazy newborn/breastfeeding days, I’ll try and maintain a far more positive relationship with alcohol which for me, looks like indulging lightly and occasionally.
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Having access to brilliant alcohol-free alternatives makes this significantly easier. My favourite gin distillers, Salcombe Gin, are behind the @NewLondonLight; a 0% spirit that doesn’t compromise on taste. So whether you’re pregnant, doing Dry January or simply attempting to live lighter, you can still enjoy a Sunday evening tipple. How do you feel about the alcohol free movement?
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Get 20% off with code ‘NLL20Beth’ 🍊 #NewLondonLight #LiveLightNLL #NLL
Top 5 Books I read in 2020 ☕️ ~
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Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens: totally captivating, unusual and enchanting. I literally devoured this one!
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Queenie, Candice Carty-Williams: as well as being laugh out loud funny, Queenie is also an education. A must read on what it’s like to be a young black woman growing up in London. Also tackles mental health really well!
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The Flatshare, Beth O’Leary: I recommend this to anyone who just really needs a hug from a genuinely enjoyable book. It’s warm and lovely but offers depth well beyond your usual chick lit too.
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Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi: this novel is such a triumph! Spanning over 300 years from pre-colonial Ghana to present day USA, each chapter follows a new character in the lineage of two sisters. One sold to slavery, the other married to an English coloniser. It’s sweepingly powerful and incredibly well written. I could’ve read an entire book on each character!
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A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman: Ove was the very first book I read in 2020 and it stuck with me throughout the year. At its most basic, it’s the story of a cantankerous old man. Delve a little deeper and it’s funny, heartbreaking and incredibly heartwarming. I just love Ove!
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Hit the ‘save’ button to come back to this list when you’re in need of a good read! What were your books of the year? 📚
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PS. If more reading, less scrolling is one of your 2021 goals too then don’t forget you can come and join us at @bethsbookclub_ 😎
2 0 2 1: the year of you 🕊🤍
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Happy new year saucepots! We had an ultra rock n’ roll night (read our books in bed then watched the midnight fireworks - that was a nice surprise! - on a phone before falling promptly to sleep...) and today is all about a long walk, a longer bath, books and tea. And obviously starting a new diary because isn’t fresh stationary the best thing about a new year?!
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Are you setting New Years’ resolutions? I prefer a bit of reflection and mindset shifting. This year it’s all about setting firm positive boundaries, protecting my energy and saying no to things/people that don’t serve that. I like the new year, not for the ‘new me’ noise but rather as a chance to let go and embrace a fresh beginning again. ⚡️☕️
As far as NYE outfits go, I’m not mad about this As far as NYE outfits go, I’m not mad about this one...🐻🥂 I hope you’re all well and excited to bid farewell to 2020. I know the clock striking midnight doesn’t fundamentally change anything but I’m hopeful that we can look forward with more optimism. I always find the turn of the year really emotionally complex. I’m not even going to attempt to unpack this last one other than to rejoice that even amongst the lowest of lows there have been highs. My beloved Nan won’t see the new year, which is hard to contemplate. I also married my best friend. This time last year I was miserable on the sofa, a day after surgery for our first miscarriage and wishing I could press pause on life. Tonight I’m still on the sofa, but full and at peace rather than empty and grieving, looking forward. For us, 2021 will see the birth of our little cub so it’s one that I’m welcoming with open arms. So much can change in a year and I hope you can seek comfort in that. However you’re feeling tonight, I’ll raise my alco-free bubbles to you because you did it: you made it through one of the toughest years in history. Brighter days are coming ☀️💓
24 weeks on the 24th December. 🌈🤍
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This day exactly a year ago we felt like the world had been pulled out from under our feet after learning that our first baby wasn’t destined to grow and come home with us. I grieved that loss deeply but I never regretted it because of all that it brought us too: weeks of joy, the realisation that we were ready for a family, a greater understanding of motherhood and of life - that it simply isn’t something you can plan. And now, new life.
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Now I sit here, 6 months pregnant with a child wriggling inside me that I can’t fathom being without. It’s so very complex because without the losses we experienced, this baby that we already love wildly and unconditionally simply wouldn’t exist. I don’t believe that ‘everything happens for a reason’ is any consolation but I do think our losses are a vital part of our story as much as this healthy pregnancy is, so in a confusing, incoherent way, I’m thankful for them.
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24 weeks is a huge milestone because in terms of gestation it’s known as the ‘viability’ mark. Our baby is officially a registrable human being and a ‘miscarriage’ is no longer a medical possibility. This is a day I’ve been really looking forward to! Thank you for continuing to hope with us, and know that we’re holding on to it extra tight for anyone struggling for whatever reason.
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Keep cooking away in there little one, growing you is the greatest joy. 🌱🤍
(Ad) GIVEAWAY! WIN A LUXURY SPA BREAK FOR TWO 😍 (Ad) GIVEAWAY! WIN A LUXURY SPA BREAK FOR TWO 😍🧖🏼‍♀️
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Start 2021 with something special to look forward to. Who couldn’t use some pampering and R&R after the year we’ve had?! The Spa at Carden is a brand new £10 million ultra luxe indoor and outdoor spa nestled in the award-winning Carden Park Hotel’s extensive grounds, just outside of Chester.
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THE PRIZE: a lucky winner will win a one night spa break for two including a spa day, a 50 minute treatment each, a double or twin room and a full English or continental breakfast! Valid for all of 2021 subject to availability.
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TO ENTER:
• Follow me @bethsandland and @thespaatcarden 
• Tag a friend below!
• Unlimited entries (tag in separate comments)
• Share to stories for a bonus entry!
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INFO: Closes 22/12/20. Winner announced 23rd December by  me on *THIS ACCOUNT* - please do not engage with any fake/scam accounts claiming to know the winner! This giveaway is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram. This post is unpaid but marked as ‘ad’ due to the commercial nature of giveaways.
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GOOD LUCK 🥰🎄
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(AD) I had a very productive day of Elf duties as (AD) I had a very productive day of Elf duties as we finished off the Christmas shopping to add to the bits we’ve ordered online! Now to pour a Faileys (faux Baileys...) and get wrapping up with Home Alone on in the background...
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If you haven’t finished your shopping yet then checkout @mandmdirect - the home of designer brands with up to 75% off! I did some of my Christmas shopping there and picked this cosy outfit up for myself too. The jumper dress was £8.99, the coat less than half price at £29.99 and the hat £5.99 (all non maternity)! You can also find Uggs on there with some huge savings...See my stories for some brilliant gift ideas for tricky recipients, with delivery guaranteed in time for Christmas 🎅🏼🎄
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Have you finished your shopping yet? Do you enjoy it or find it a chore? I love thinking about what to get each person, but it can definitely get overwhelming!
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