Whether your audience wants to learn how to run a business or simply advance in their career, they will always turn to specialized business blogs for advice.
Every month on Dear Nina (the podcast) I offer a small challenge to deepen/revive the friendships already in our lives OR to make new friends. I say “our” because I do the challenges too. You can see the 2025 challenges here.
For December: Write a Letter to ONE Friend
The (final!) friendship challenge of the year is to write one friend a real letter. This was inspired by the novel I’m currently reading and loving–The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.
Yes, it can be typed and even sent via email. But this NOT a text saying, “I hope you’re well” or “I miss you.”
Who should receive this letter? Here are some ideas:
The friend you don’t talk to often but who still matters to you.
The friend you had a rough patch with at one point, and you want to continue staying on a better path.
The steady friend who shows up week after week.
The childhood friend tied to a memory that still makes you smile or feel grateful.
Write an honest, thoughtful note saying:
Here’s why you matter to me. . .
I keep thinking about the time you . . .
My year was better because you . . .
I’m grateful for the way you. . .
This memory sticks with me because . . .
It can be one paragraph, but it should be from the heart.
If you’ve been following the challenges, this is the perfect finale. If you’re new, it’s a surprisingly easy way to deepen one friendship right now.
This challenge doesn’t require making plans, arranging childcare, or leaving the house. This is all about a few sincere sentences that could make someone’s entire year.
Once a month I share an anonymous question + my answer for paying subscribers. Hey, there has to be a perk for the big supporters! You might have a similar dilemma in your life. Check out the archive too!
REMINDER: You can start the 2025 challenge any time. Each month is meant to stand alone and you don’t need an entire month to accomplish any of them. Come back and let me know how it went no matter when you try that month’s “assignment.”
Hit reply to this email and share your progress with any month’s challenge
Or pop into the Dear Nina Facebook group where we compare notes, celebrate small wins, and troubleshoot friendship issues together.
You’re a free subscriber to Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. Frustrated with some of your friends? You’re not alone! The anonymous letters are a perk for paying subscribers. You probably have a similar question. Upgrade any time for the full archive.
Every writer knows the journey—the endless edits, the late-night wordsmithing, and the hopeful submissions. But amidst all the hard work, there is one singular, luminous moment: the arrival of the first author's copy.
I am absolutely thrilled to share that this moment has finally happened for me! I've just posted the emotional story and video of me unboxing the very first physical copy of Folklore and Flesh.
To finally hold this book in my hands—to feel the cover and flip through the pages I poured my soul into—was truly surreal. This is not just a book; it's a tangible piece of the world we've built together.
Click here to read the full post and watch the emotional unboxing!
About Folklore and Flesh
Folklore and Flesh is a dark fiction collection that pulls back the curtain on whispered legends. It reveals them not as charming tales, but as living, bleeding truths. This collection binds 10 creative short stories and a dozen visceral poems, journeying into the marrow of myth where existence can be unwoven and re-stitched with horrifying precision.
Availability:
The eBook is available for preorder now!
The Paperback edition will be available on December 4th on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all other major distributors.
Thank you for being a part of this incredible adventure. I can't wait for you to dive into its dark pages.
In your first email, you received the printable Huatulco Trip Checklist to help get the basics sorted quickly.
Now, in this second email in the series, let's dive deeper into the fun part: tours and experiences.
Huatulco is packed with bucket-list things to do, but this email isn't a "do it all and collapse" list.
These are the experiences we genuinely think are worth your time (and pesos). They're unforgettable adventures that show you why this eco-friendly corner of Mexico's Pacific is our favourite place to spend the winter.
1. Full Day Tour of the Bays of Huatulco
If you only do one Huatulco tour, make it the Full Day Tour of the Bays of Huatulco. You'll cruise past dramatic coastlines in Huatulco National Park, stop at secluded bays for swimming or snorkelling and spot dolphins, turtles, and even whales along the way.
Tip: The tour we selected above features a boat with shade, but it's still a full day in the sun. So bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, and cash to rent a beach umbrella, snorkelling equipment and gratuities.
If you want to get out on the water to snorkel and see turtles, dolphins and whales but want to spend only 2-3 hours, I recommend the Ocean Eco Adventure Tour led by the marine biologists at Oceanico. They've got a 95% success rate for sightings.
2. Splash Through a Jungle Waterfall
Our real-life photo of the colour of these waterfalls!
It's a series of cool, clear waterfalls and pools high in the Sierra madre Sur mountains where you can swim, climb and generally revert to your happiest five-year-old self.
Organized tour: Ideal if you want to relax rather than navigate the mountain turns. The best Copalitilla (Magical) Waterfall Tour include a stop for mezcal tasting, organic coffee and lunch (extra cost) in a mountain village.
Either way, it's a long, winding drive. But at the first plunge into those pools, you'll forgive every hairpin turn.
Tip: Bring water shoes, cash for shopping, lunch and gratuities. Skip this trip in the rainy season.
3. The 400-Peso Taxi Tour (Our $20 Hack)
Viewpoint overlooking Santa Cruz.
This is the little experience most visitors have no idea exists. And it might be the best overview in town.
Instead of booking a city tour that costs hundreds of dollars for a group of 3 or 4, you can hire a taxi for about 400 MXN pesos (around $20 USD) from most hotels or taxi stand and do a private "taxi tour" of Huatulco.
Your driver can whisk you to the lighthouse, Santa Cruz, La Bocana, Arrocito Bay, the Huatulco sign and a handful of other viewpoints and bays.
You won't be lounging for hours at each stop. Think quick photo ops. But it's a fantastic orientation, especially if you've just arrived.
Tip: A/C matters. When it's 35°C out, gliding around in a cool cab feels like pure luxury.
Other Must-Do Trips and Experiences
If you have more time or you're already planning your second visit, here's what to do:
Mazunte, La Ventanilla & Zipolite: Take a half-day tour to the hippie town of Mazunte, see the crocodiles at La Ventanilla Lagoon and stop at Mexico's official nude beach.
Cooking Class: Dive into the flavours of Oaxaca in a food walking tour or cooking class with Chiles & Chocolate in Huatulco. They're must-dos for foodies.
Puerto Escondido: If you can spare a few days, we highly recommend a side trip to Puerto Escondido. It's quite different from Huatulco — more bohemian, rustic and busy — but in the best possible way. We even owned a home there.
Next up in your inbox? Where we actually eat in Huatulco, from casual beach spots to romantic fine-dining.
Some links are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. They help keep A Taste for Travel ticking along but rest assured we only recommend experiences we genuinely think are worth your time and money.
And don't forget to follow A Taste for Travel on social media for the latest news!
