Having hitch-hiked around Europe as a teenager, Michel travelled to Asia and Australia to gather material for his first book - Nomadic Gatherings. The sale of travel articles and photographs helped finance further travels on the African continent and across the Atlantic to the Americas. His work in photojournalism gave Michel plenty of material to start TravelNotes.org – The Online Guide to Travel – in 1997. While managing a collection of travel websites take up much of his time, travel, photography and writing books about travel remain Michel's driving passion.