Last Updated on June 23, 2019 by PowersToTravel
My husband, Greg, is always on the look-out for Diet Dr. Pepper wherever we travel. If it is possible to bring an extra suitcase, as was the situation going to Tanzania on KLM, Albania on Turkish Air, Bangkok on Qatar Airways, he brings his Diet Dr. Pepper with him, in 16-oz plastic bottle six-packs.
But if he is restricted in his suitcase count, he researches his destination ahead of time, most assiduously, trying to find anyone who might mention where they obtain Diet Dr. Pepper.
It is for that reason that I am writing this post, to help out those poor Dr. Pepper souls who are frantically searching for their life-saving tonic.
For our trip to Eastern Europe we were not allowed to take extra suitcases, but I managed to arrange our luggage in such a way as to cram everything we needed into one large 50 pounder, which released the mid-size 40 pounder suitcase to Greg for his Diet Dr. Pepper bottles. Then when the soda would be gone, and our rail trip in Europe start in earnest (after the guided Romania and Bulgaria section), we would redistribute the clothes and toiletries into both bags, both more moderately weighted, for heaving on and off trains.
Nevertheless, even with a 12-day Diet Dr. Pepper supply securely within his grasp, Greg still searched tirelessly for Diet Dr. Pepper, to extend his Dr. Pepper-infused days longer, knowing that there would be an end to his original stash.
On the very first full day in Bucharest we found ourselves driving at approximately 1pm from the Parliament Building in downtown Bucharest, heading out of town towards Sibiu, several hours distant. What the writer of the itinerary (not me!) did not consider was that we were traveling on a Friday afternoon, which meant that the traffic heading out of town would be horrific.
Our driver, Iulian, knowing the gravity of the task in front of him, drove back-roads through Bucharest, avoiding the main arteries, until we reached the loop road around Bucharest. It was a nerve-racking, stomach-jolting dash as we swerved around both potholes and corners, sped up on city streets, and flashed through yellow-lit intersections. All this on a now empty stomach.
Finally, around 2:30, as we crossed the loop road, and found ourselves on Rt 81 heading out of town, the direct route to Sibui, Iulian asked, “Lunch now?”
To save time, he took us to a Carrefour Hypermarket. Speed of food delivery was his priority, I feel. He seemed to like the variety of the buffet counter at the supermarket, and he seemed happy to present it to us. However we weren’t all that happy to receive it. I am always suspicious of public buffet food, especially when not during the key dining hour when it would be most fresh.
So, we chose our items, wolfed them down at unwashed counter-top tables, did not appreciate the food, and quickly moved on to the shopping aisles. For all that Iulian was trying to conserve time to get us to our destination, Greg was not about to let a trip to the grocery store slip by without a search for Diet Dr. Pepper.
And Voila! Amazingly there it was!
He bought a six-pack to be sure he made it to the end of Bulgaria properly hydrated!
However, it must be noted that we were well over the expiration date on the six-pack, a fact which he didn’t realize until he dipped into the cans ten days later, and found the soda somewhat strange tasting. Who knows where that supermarket got the Diet Dr. Pepper and how long it had been on the shelf?
Check out this article of mine too:
Romania Travel Blog – Itinerary, Planning and Diabetic Travel Tips
Map
Here’s a map to show you where the Carrefour Hypermarket is:
