My Passion with Michelle Storer: A lifetime of new experiences after being bitten by the travel bug

Michelle Storer, business development leader at Ernst & Young in Leeds, talks about her passion for travel

I GOT my first taste of the travel bug aged one when my parents took my brother and I caravanning around Europe. This continued over the years and in my teens we camped or caravanned as a family throughout the UK and Europe.

I still have very fond memories of the quality time we spent together on these trips and the love of travel has stayed with me ever since. I studied French and German to first year degree level with the main motivation being my plan to see more of the world and my languages being my passport to achieving this.

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I took advantage of the opportunities offered at school and went on a German exchange and also worked on a farm in France for two summers. The joy of travel for me comes from the intrigue and desire to experience new things, meet new people and enjoy new foods. I maintained a friendship with one of my German friends who I met during my time in Heidelberg for over 20 years as we exchanged frequent letters back and forth.

My cousin, who lived in Germany during my time there and now lives in America was also a great inspiration to me while growing up as she’s also very independent and loves the adventure of it all.

I remember hitchhiking in France for two weeks after working for four weeks one year and the big Sunday roasts we had with the family on the farm were just amazing.

During college I continued travelling in the holidays visiting France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Austria, Hungary, the former Yugoslavia and the Czech Republic.

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I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to work abroad with work spending some time in Moscow – I even went to night school to learn Russian. I’ve survived a girls’ road trip around America and joined a friend’s round-the-world trip in Australia. My husband and I got married in Canada – it was either that or Elland Road so getting married abroad won hands down.

I’m keen that my kids, now aged seven and nine years old, develop their wanderlust and enjoy similar trips and more.

We’ve often talked about taking the kids on a big trip around the world and I’m lucky to have had the support of my employer as we soon embark on a six-month trip as a family taking in America, Australia, Thailand and New Zealand before heading back to the UK and then onto a ski trip in France.

It’s the right time to take the kids – they’re old enough to appreciate the experience but young enough to still enjoy experiencing it with their parents. My son will celebrate his eighth birthday while we’re in Thailand while my daughter will be celebrating her 10th in Australia.

It’s going to be a great adventure and one that as a family we’ll never forget.