The Roving Balys

The Roving Balys Lydia & Chris | The Roving Balys
Midlife Travels from Newcastle, Australia. To be honest, it reminded us of what we were like when we were younger.

Boutique stays and comfortable midlife travel.
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🎥 Travel videos on YouTube | ✍️ In-depth guides on our blog When the pandemic took us by surprise we lived vicariously through others by watching travel vlogs. It is what distracted us from what was going on in the real world and gave us hope that we could all travel once again. We were and still are avid tra

velers. I said to Chris, that if I had my time again and vlogging was available to us when we were younger and travelling, we would have jumped on the bandwagon too. We continued to travel with our children and to raise enough funds to do so we either had a side gig of selling DVDs to second-hand clothes on eBay, then renting out our house. We did what we could to get some extra dollars and to save enough flyer miles to take the family away as often as we could. We are avid Disney fans and have taken the kids to Disneylands in LA, Florida, Tokyo, and Paris. Our inner child is alive and well. Now that our children are 20 and 22 and starting to live their own lives, it has given us time to ponder what is next for us. Rather than sulking at our empty nest situation, we have decided to distract ourselves by planning our next few holidays. We then had an epiphany, why wait? You are never too old to follow your dreams! I mentioned to Chris how good would it be if our favorite travel vloggers put a course out on how to vlog? I kid you not, the very next week they published such a course! We took it as a sign. We decided that our New Year's resolution was going to start Vlogging our travels and bringing the fun back into our lives. If no one else watched the videos apart from us, our kids can have a giggle and say how silly their parents are and we can sit back and rewatch the episodes when we are in our rocking chairs in a retirement home wondering what we did yesterday. We all get one shot at this thing called life and rather than follow the lemmings and wait until retirement, we say why wait? Let’s pave a new road forward, follow our passion, and live every day as if it were our last. Forever in gratitude
The newly named “ The Roving Balys”

Is 2 days in Kuala Lumpur enough?Before visiting Malaysia's capital, we weren't sure whether Kuala Lumpur would be a qui...
17/06/2026

Is 2 days in Kuala Lumpur enough?

Before visiting Malaysia's capital, we weren't sure whether Kuala Lumpur would be a quick stopover or a destination in its own right.

Over 48 hours, we climbed the colourful steps of Batu Caves, explored historic neighbourhoods, admired the views from the Petronas Twin Towers, sampled incredible local food and watched the city lights come alive from a rooftop helipad.

The result? Kuala Lumpur became one of the biggest surprises of our Malaysian adventure.

Have you visited Kuala Lumpur, or is it still on your travel wish list?

Read our complete guide here:

Wondering if 2 days in Kuala Lumpur is enough? Follow our honest 48-hour itinerary covering Batu Caves, Petronas Towers, local food, and practical midlife travel tips.

15/06/2026

A breathtaking visit to Kuala Lumpur's Batu Caves, with its magnificent golden statue and colorful steps. An unexpected, delightful encounter with a cheeky monkey adds to the unforgettable experience.

15/06/2026

Watch these playful monkeys explore a vibrant staircase and a gleaming golden statue! Their curious nature and energetic interactions are truly captivating.

Is 2 days really enough in Kuala Lumpur? 🇲🇾👇When Chris and I arrived in Kuala Lumpur for the very first time, we kept he...
14/06/2026

Is 2 days really enough in Kuala Lumpur? 🇲🇾👇

When Chris and I arrived in Kuala Lumpur for the very first time, we kept hearing the same thing: “Two days isn’t enough.”

They might have been right… but what an incredible introduction to Malaysia!

In just 48 hours, we packed in some of KL’s most iconic sights. We stood beneath the soaring Petronas Twin Towers, marvelled at the incredible architecture of Merdeka 118, and climbed the colourful steps of the famous Batu Caves.

But as always, the highlights weren’t just the landmarks.

We wandered through the historic streets of Little India and Kampung Baru, sampled our way through the legendary food stalls of Jalan Alor, and watched the sun set over the beautiful Thean Hou Temple.

By night, we strolled across the stunning Saloma Link Bridge and explored the heritage heart of the city around Merdeka Square, Central Market and Chinatown.

What surprised us most was how Kuala Lumpur blends old and new so effortlessly. One moment you’re surrounded by gleaming skyscrapers, the next you’re immersed in history, culture and some of the best food we’ve tasted in Southeast Asia.

So… is 48 hours enough?

🎬 Our latest Malaysia travel vlog is NOW LIVE, and we’re sharing exactly how we spent our two days, what we loved, and whether we’d recommend staying longer.

Have you visited Kuala Lumpur? How many days would you suggest for a first-time visit?

👇 We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

14/06/2026

Ever eaten a fruit that tastes exactly like brown sugar and caramel? 🤯
We had never even heard of Chikoo until now, but wow… it just vaulted straight to the top of our "must-try" list! Trying it for the very first time and attempting to capture that unique, sweet essence is a seriously delicious challenge.
If you love sweet treats and food exploration, add this to your radar immediately. Have any of you tried this before? What does it taste like to you? 👇

A few years ago, this was just an idea.Two empty nesters with a camera, a love of travel, and a dream of sharing the wor...
12/06/2026

A few years ago, this was just an idea.

Two empty nesters with a camera, a love of travel, and a dream of sharing the world as we saw it.

We had no experience creating videos. No big audience. No roadmap.

Just a belief that adventure doesn’t have an expiry date.

Today, we’ve reached 1 million YouTube views.

That number is hard to comprehend, but what means even more to us is knowing that our videos have inspired people to take a trip they’ve been putting off, revisit a destination they love, or realise that travel in your 50s, 60s and beyond can be just as exciting as ever.

Every view represents someone who chose to spend a few minutes of their day travelling alongside us.

For that, we are incredibly grateful.

We’re still learning. Still exploring. Still chasing sunsets, hidden gems, and unforgettable experiences around the world.

And in many ways, it feels like we’re only just getting started.

If you’ve been watching quietly from the sidelines and enjoying our adventures, we’d love for you to join our community and subscribe.

We’d be honoured to have you along for the next chapter.

❤️ Lydia & Chris
The Roving Balys

1 million views. Countless memories. Many more adventures to come.

12/06/2026

The infamous king of fruits. Two brave souls venture into the unknown, armed with a healthy dose of skepticism and a phone to capture the epic (or not-so-epic) moment. Gloves are optional, but bravery is essential.

12/06/2026

The moment of truth! We're about to take on the notorious durian for the very first time. Gloves might be necessary, but the recording is mandatory. Wish us luck!

11/06/2026

I finally decided to try the infamous durian. Everyone talks about it, but for me? The taste was just... strange. Definitely not my cup of tea.

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