I have gone over to the dark side of travel!!!

I don't understand what you mean by "the dark side of travel". Exactly how "dark" can it be as you took the initiative to lose 60 lbs and thus become more healthy?

Congratulations!

Hi Don,

I don’t understand the title of your post. Am I missing something?

BTW, I think that’s a nice hat!

Congrats on your weight loss!
What’s the secret?

Ha! I ate way too many gelati on my most recent trip and some of my jeans seemed to have shrunk!

Edited to add...
How interesting. I wonder if we walked passed each other while in Sicily; I was there in May too!

Congratulations on the weight loss! I did the same thing, but less weight (35 lbs.) and it sure makes a difference when you have those long days on tour. I’m thinking of writing a how-to book. I’ve got the title but I can’t think of any content. It is called “Eat Less”. As for the get up, welcome to the over 65 tourist scene. Sometimes I can be found in what my wife calls the full Indiana Jones: Tilley hat, zip off travel pants, shirt with vented back, Keens. At home I’m pretty conscious of looking spiffy when out and about, but in Europe practicality wins out over fashion sense every time. If I win the lottery I’ll have much fancier duds, big suitcases, and an assistant or two to haul the stuff around!

Congratulations on dropping 60 pounds. But I have some bad news for you:

I have tried very hard to not "look" like a tourist

Well, try as you might, everyone could immediately see that you were a tourist, then and now. Because you were and are a tourist. You can't hide that fact. Fortunately, there's no reason to attempt to do so. So embrace it, get over it, and worry about other things.

Congrats to all who have lost weight. I find that I don't usually gain weight on trips because I do so much more walking there than I do at home. Also, Alan's "Eat Less" could, unfortunately, have said "Eat and Drink Less Sugar" - that's what seems to pack on the most pounds.

"I don't understand......"

Someone might humorously be said to be 'going over to the dark side' if they opt for a preference for something that is out of fashion or not a social group's accepted preference - like a New Zealander supporting the Australian rugby team, for example.

You’ll see me eventually wearing that hat when on a river cruise...decades from now.

The method I used to lose the weight was actually quite simple and suggested to me by a local family doctor:

1) Do not drink any sugar (or calorie) containing liquids, so it is either water, tea, diet soda, or crystal light, etc.
2) Cut out all desserts, no exceptions.
3) Cut portion sizes in half, so if I order a 8oz. filet I cut it in half and eat 4oz. If I order a bowel of pasta, I just eat 1/2 the bowl and leave the rest. If I would normally have two pancakes for breakfast, I only get one, etc.

My wife has been very supportive and we often just order one meal and split it at restaurants. What really brought this home to me was a year ago we were on a Greek island and a cruise ship pulled up and as the passengers started unloading it was obvious that the Americans needed to lose weight when compared to the Europeans, so I felt I needed to make the effort to take better care of myself.

Weight loss and melanoma protection, a win-win situation.

...Greek island and a cruise ship....
Hope you are now qualiied to ride a Greek donkey. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2018/10/11/greek-isle-santorini-bans-overweight-tourists-donkey-rides/1599640002/

Tourists wishing to take a ride on Santorini's famed donkeys must now
weigh less than 220 pounds (100 kilograms), or one-fifth of the
donkey's body weight...

Colbe,

” I don't understand......"
Someone might humorously be said to be 'going over to the dark side' if they opt for a preference for something that is out of fashion or not a social group's accepted preference - like a New Zealander supporting the Australian rugby team, for example.

Thanks for explaining! Ha! I guess I’d never think of using that phrase, especially since English is my second language.

Don,
Thanks for the explanation. It makes great sense to cut down on sugary drinks and foods.

No more gelato for me... Until my next trip! 😊.

I think purchasing a “travel hat” that screams tourist may be going to the other side for Don.

My husband and I try to not wear hats (baseball caps) or even simple small backpacks while we travel. We usually wear jackets that seem to fit in as European. We don’t wear sneakers, more of a neutral/brown walking shoes.

I think being polite, learning a few phrases of the native language, and not be loud makes for a better experience.

Congratulations on the weight loss!

As for going over to the dark side, I don't think that opting for that style of hat means you've gone there. As David said, no matter how you dress, you're still going to be seen as a tourist just by the things you're doing or the group you're with. Much better to wear something approaching a modicum of style, like that model, which is quite classic, than a baseball cap emblazoned with some American slogan or logo.

Perhaps I'm biased, though. Both DH and I have been wearing Tilley hats of one style or another for many years. At home, in Europe, in Asia, and down under. But no multipocket vests or zip off pants.

Don,

Appreciate your sense of humor and for sharing your story. Prevention is what it's all about.

My husband recently purchased the Tilley Hat and gave up the baseball cap! He too is very happy to have extra sun protection along with sunscreen. I told him "vanity can kill you!"

Kudos for making a lifestyle change and losing 60 pounds! As a wellness coach I give the same advice that you received from your healthcare provider. Along with this, consistent exercise is the key to life!

Enjoy your next journey and wear your Tilley in good health!

Your wife must really love you to have ordered the hat, and you must really love her to have given it a try. Bravo, beautiful and congratulations on the weight loss.

Congratulations on your huge commitment & success! And, perfect timing to look forward to hiking in gorgeous Switzerland.

Okay so I had no idea what a Tiley hat was and did a search. Nice hat, but not a fan of the mesh on top. My husband shaves his head and is has a fair complexion (blue eyes) and wears a pork pie style hat that keep the sun out of his eyes and off his face. Maybe if we were hiking or at the beach he would wear the Tiley. But we don't mind looking like tourist, with our day packs, sitting on benches looking at maps, staying in hotels, speaking our English like we do and asking for Ketchup and ice. Yea on the weight loss! and I think you would rock that fishing vest if you decided to wear it (no judgment here!).

Thought you were going to say you started dragging a steamer trunk with you instead of just a carry on. :-)

I believe "The Dark Side" here means - looking and acting like an obnoxious tourist (not a pleasant one) and packing heavy.
I have come to the conclusion that I am a tourist and will often look and act like one no matter what I do. Even if I manage to "blend in," my two travel partners (young daughter and big, stocky husband) have no consideration for "blending in" whatsoever and "blow my cover" anyway. They tend to be conspicuous quite naturally.
I would like to send OP a bold color, polyester floral print shirt and a pair of neon crocs from Florida to add to his classy Tilley hat to complete the American tourist look.

I'm impressed that anyone can lose that much weight. That alone ought be good for many more great vacations.
When we travel, nobody cannot know I'm an American. I wear a ball cap often, especially if I didn't shampoo my hair that morning. But I hold the line at wearing my favorite college football team's t-shirt and sports memorabilia when traveling. Heck, I don't even wear that at home.

Congratulations on your successes! Tilley hats are just fine, but if you want a change of pace that also provides protection from the lethal rays of the sun, you may wish to look at what Coolibar offers. They have hats, including baseball type hats, good looking fedoras, etc., all with built in sun protection. I burn very easily, hate the greasy feel of sunscreen, or the inability to protect my scalp without a hat, or being too hot from covering up with different fabrics -- I've had great success with their products.

Diane- Try Neutrogena Ultra Sheer "dry touch" Sunscreen, no greasy feel ever! My husband is a greasy kinda guy and he loves it, he uses 50 and I use 30. It is the only sunscreen we use when we travel.

don,

Welcome to the Tilley owners club! I've had a Tilley T3 for many years, and never travel without it. It worked well to keep my head cool in Sicily. I must confess though - I also own a Tilley Legends Outback Vest and I never travel without that either. I really don't care whether I look like a tourist or not - it works well for me.

I applaud your weight loss, you desire to honor your wife's gift & your need to travel.

The first few times I went to Europe, I was horrified that I'd look like an AMERICAN and somehow be a lesser traveler b/c of this. I now know that I can't help looking the way I do. I never was a loud person, so that one's not on me. I do my best to learn phrases when I'm traveling in non-English speaking countries.

I'll never not look/sound like an American. I don't have that talent, but I no longer think of that as an insult to me. I do my utmost to research, be respectful and enjoy wherever I might be lucky enough to find myself. And that is the best I can do at this point in my life.

My compliments on pursuing and achieving the weight loss. It's a great feeling since I am also lighter now than exactly a year ago too due to working at achieving this weight loss. I'm a couple of years ahead of you, still travel mostly solo in Europe depending on where I am.

For the last dozen years or so, my attitude is I could care less if I look like a conspicuous tourist in Europe wearing white Nike tennis shoes, a fanny/waist belt (that gives it away, doesn't it?), American clothing styles in pants, shirts, (shirt patterns, etc), and summer jacket. "They" can recognise right away that I have tourist written all over me.

Your health is more important than your looks. So I think you are going in the right direction.

Great post on many fronts. Losing weight not only makes you healthier, but also allows you more energy to enjoy your travel AND your clothes are smaller so you pack lighter! No steamer trunk!

I also tried not to stand out as a tourist by avoiding the Travelsmith look, but know it’s impossible. Maybe we should instead try to change the perception of the “ugly American” tourist, forget about the clothing but mind our manners, respect the culture, and learn some of the language,

Amy, the traveler with the zip off pants and Scottevest jacket :)

Haha, I was expecting you to say you bought a 24-inch suitcase! Looking like a tourist, or an American? Who cares? That’s what I am, and I feel lucky to be both. Expecially a tourist.

Congrats on the weight loss! Happy traveling!!!

Tilley hats are also sold in Scotland!

I wear a vest. More European men of your age wear them than tourists.

I also assumed going over to the dark side meant something to do with luggage -- checking a bag, for example.

I'm sorry, but a Tilley hat, functional as they may be, is a sign of something. I do agree with the idea that we're all tagged regardless, though, so why sweat it? I always wear a foldable baseball cap (Outdoor Research), but heard that British actress Emily Blount told her American husband, John Krasinski, who always wore such a cap, that doing so also branded one as an American, so whatever.

One of the few advantages about getting older is that, if one is lucky, you stop worrying so much about outward appearances and focus more on comfort and utility. Enjoy it while you can, I say.

What a fun story, and congrats on the weight loss!

I will say, as someone who lives in a city that gets few tourists from abroad but lots of tourists from within the country that hats are hardly unusual. German tourists of your age wear them all the time. And why not?

As an expat who speaks fluent "tourist German" my pronunciation outs me as an "auslander" no matter how I look (and I am often asked for directions by Germans so I'm assuming that my clothing doesn't give me away as I dress pretty normally for my age here) so the obsession with not looking like a tourist doesn't matter once you start speaking even if you can communicate basically in the local language, the gig is up. I think the real thing is not looking like a clueless tourist, i.e. an easy mark, versus just looking like a run of the mill tourist, either from that country or abroad and a sensible hat is definitely not the make of break point for that!

I admire your lifestyle and become healthy for your dreams.

I purchased my first Tilley hat about 30 years ago when Alex Tilley and his daughter were selling them from a table at a boat show. I still have the original and 2 of the newer models. I bought them for sailing, but i've ended up using them for any occasion that I need sun protection. They are great hats. Regarding looking like a tourist, I believe that we look like tourists when we're traveling regardless of any efforts to disguise this fact. Just as WE recognize people as tourists in our home towns fairly easily. We've never been concerned about being identified as tourists. I say just take proper personal security precautions and don't worry about it. Wear whatever's comfortable.

Yes, one way to identify Americans, unfortunately, is that most of us need to lose 20, or more, pounds. When I had a French girlfriend, she remarked, "American women are so beautiful, why do they let themselves go like that?"

Your plan isn't the only plan that will work to lose weight but it takes discipline to make the change and stick to it. Congratulations.

Hi Don -

You are 67 and your hair is STARTING to thin......? You lucky, lucky.......!

As someone who was trying to hang onto my hair by age twenty, I've been wearing hats for a long, long time. Incidentally as a Brit I wear a baseball cap as my 'go to'. I think I fit right in!

Ian