Stockbridge to Sri Lanka: Traveling the world on a budget

Kyle and Madie share a packing video on YouTube.

by Terri Grant

Sixty dollars a day. Two people. Traveling the world. Could you do it?

Local residents Kyle Lilley and Madie Gee-Montgomery are attempting this very thing. The dynamic duo set out on August 27, 2022, from Detroit Wayne County Airport in pursuit of a year to stretch themselves past their comfort zones. They have indeed accomplished this in many ways on their remarkable journey.

Kyle and Madie began their travels visiting Krakow, Poland, and seeing the sobering camp of Auschwitz early in their trip. Following that was a visit to Prague in the Czech Republic via an overnight bus/train. Then came Vienna, Austria, where they stayed in a capsule hotel—a type of hotel first developed in Japan and is typically composed of many small rooms or “pods” not much bigger than a bed.

Next, the couple was on to Helsinki, Finland, where they took part in an authentic crayfish party. After that was Budapest, Hungary. Then Kyle and Madie stayed in Istanbul, Turkey, where they spent time taking in local points of historical interest.  Moving on to the coast of Kas, Turkey, they saw stunning scenery before taking an early morning hot air balloon ride among hundreds of other balloons in Cappadocia, Turkey.

After all this and only two months of traveling, came a highlight of their travels: a tuk-tuk tournament for two weeks in Sri Lanka. A tuk-tuk

Prague…so much to love! The culture, the people, the beer!

is a motorized rickshaw used in many parts of Asia, and the tournament event involved teams challenges and collecting metaphorical gems. For every 500 gems a team collects, the tuk-tuk rental company donates a freshwater source to local impoverished communities. During this event, a special occasion awaited Madie, as Kyle surprised her with a wedding proposal against the backdrop of Bomburu Ella Falls in Sri Lanka on Day 7 of the tuk-tuk tournament. (Watch their video on YouTube to see if Madie said, “yes”!)

Trekking to a Mt. Everest base camp in Nepal  is their most recent adventure after Sri Lanka. The couple plans to continue to Thailand and beyond in the coming months. Throughout their adventures, the couple has shared candid experiences with genuine candor on their YouTube channel: @kyleandmadie, generally posting videos every other day. Family, friends, and acquaintances have stayed even more up-to-date by following them on Instagram.

As Kyle Lilley states, “Madie and I have always been fascinated with the idea of full-time travel, and we knew there wouldn’t be any better time than now. We’ve graduated college, we’re debt free, we have no home base, jobs, or kids holding us back. If we didn’t commit to full-time travel now, life would most likely get in the way.”

The capsule hotel in Vienna “…it was super cool!”

Kyle’s mom, Tracy, comments, “When they first told us they were going to travel for a year, we were supportive from the start. As we watch their travels, we are in awe of all their experiences and accomplishments and love the fact that we can watch their journey! We are so proud of both of them!”

Madie’s mom, Michele Gee, shared her thoughts on their travels, “When Kyle and Madie first told us they were going to travel for a year, we had many emotions. We were happy, excited, and honestly a little scared.  Being able to have contact with them made the transition a lot easier as a mom.”

Gee added, “We are very excited for Kyle and Madie. Their travels have really pushed them out of their comfort zones and have provided many life experiences for them. We love to watch their videos on YouTube. They have made so many new friends and have been able to capture all of the beautiful places they go and people they meet. It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Madie says, “Ever since I was little I remember wanting to see the world. I was also so fascinated with National Geographic and seeing people go to new places, and I knew that was something I needed to do later in life!

Madie in Istanbul. “…crazy, chaotic, a little dirty & has some of the kindest souls we have seen.”

When we first started talking about this crazy year of travel I think we thought it was unobtainable. It seemed so far-fetched coming from two small town kids who have had little exposure to the world outside of Stockbridge. But we knew that if we didn’t at least try, we would always regret it. To me, our story is the perfect example of, ‘If you want it, go get it,’ and that is exactly what we did.”

More photos at stockbridgecommunitynews.com. Photos are from @kyleandmadie on Instagram. Follow Kyle and Madie’s travels at youtube.com/@kyleandmadie/featured or instagram.com/kyleandmadie/

Hot air balloons in Cappadocia, Turkey. “While it may be expensive, it’s totally worth it in the end.”

The couple was chased by a wild elephant in Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka.

The language of love is the same the world over. Kyle proposes to Madie at Bomburu Ella Falls in Sri Lanka.

Kyle and Madie made it to Everest Base Camp after the 10 hardest, most challenging days of their lives.