The Traveler Series: Tracy Zhang of Just-In-Time Travels

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Each week, The Pin The Map Project turns towards the travel community to highlight the stories of travelers, writers, photographers and bloggers. This week, meet Tracy Zhang of Just-In-Time Travels. Tracy is a freelance travel and lifestyle photographer who specializes in capturing the natural beauty and urban essence of a destination.

Finding Wonderland in Central Park

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I may have been sitting in the heart of Manhattan but on this particular day Central Park felt like a faraway fairy tale complete with whimsical statues, blossoming flowers and giggling children lazily sailing toy boats across the nearby pond. Like an eye in the center of a hurricane, Central Park was languid and calm-impervious to the swirling crowds, honking cabs and subways just beyond the tree line.

Panama in 55 Seconds

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While I toted my Nikon around Panama, my friend, Wendy, carried her GoPro and captured our journey frame by frame. From the Panama Canal to the islands of Bocas del Toro to the Panamanian jungle, my friend filmed our travels and left us with more than just memories but a movie with which we could relive our adventure again and again.

A Homage to the Cartagena Arepa Lady

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For 40 years, Elaine (whom I’ve come to refer to as The Arepa Lady) has stood on a corner in Cartagena whipping up her modest arepas by flattening and shaping the maize, tossing the arepas in a vat of hot oil and serving them alongside colorful salsas in vibrant hues of green and red.

In Colombia without a Bed: Traveling to Isla Baru

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Looking over at my fiancé I could see his face reflecting the same mix of nerves and excitement bubbling within my chest as the reality of our situation began to dawn on us-we were in Colombia heading to an island with no idea of where we’d be spending that night.

The Traveler Series: Mehdy Ghannad of The Hostel Life

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Meet Mehdy Ghannad of The Hostel Life, he is the host, creator, and producer of two travel series: “The Hostel Life/Small World with Mehdy Ghannad” and the “Native Passage with Mehdy Ghannad.” Both TV shows are currently being distributed or pitched to several networks, both online and on TV.

Confessions of a Reformed Spender: Saving Money for Travel

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If I had to give a name to my financial nemesis that name would be Duane Reade–-that chain of easily accessible, convenient stores located on every other corner of New York City. Each time I step into a Duane Reade currency takes on a different meaning since $5 spent on an impulsive

The Traveler Series: Audrey Bergner of ThatBackpacker

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Each week, The Pin The Map Project turns towards the travel community to highlight the stories of travelers, writers and photographers. To kick off The Traveler Series, I would like to introduce Audrey Bergner of ThatBackpacker, a travel blog (that is one of my favorites!) where she chronicles her adventures, life abroad and shares tips with other travelers.

Chocolate in the Panamanian Jungle

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Like most, I have a deep rooted love for chocolate and its uncanny ability to create smiles, alleviate pain, remedy bad days and bring comfort. I have always enjoyed the convenience with which I can pick up chocolate from my local Duane Reade but have never stopped to imagine the process by which chocolate is made..until now.