Mission Diet Coke = Fail. Sort of?

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Courtney Lareau

I had every intention of using this posting to tell you about my failed attempt to find Diet Coke on the island of Sulawesi. If you’ll recall, in one of my very first blogs I set forth two goals for my trip. Sadly, my goals weren’t in search of insightful, educational, or life changing experiences while here in Indonesia, they were relatively simplistic.

1. Witness a legendary Makassar sunset
2. Find a Diet Coke

Just a few days ago I had come to terms with that fact that I would not succeed at goal number two. I actually didn’t think they had Diet Coke on this island. The only thing I can find is Coca-Cola Zero, and it is a luxury in and of itself as it is not commonly available. What follows is the story that led to my surrender.

The other day I went for a two hour walk/run for exercise down the relatively rural road that our hotel lies on. There are no gyms at the hotels here in Palopo, or anywhere in Palopo for that matter. So my workout routine consists of irregular runs, long walks, the exercise band, and jump rope I packed in my suitcase.

The road runs parallel to, and overlooks, the Latuppa River where many of the local children play in the water as it tumbles over large rocks, where the women wash clothes and rugs, and where many people bathe. In the backdrop, are the mountains lush with palm trees and greenery.  The smell of families cooking fried chicken or fried rice and fire pits burning trash fills the air. Motorbikes driven by old men and 8-year-old boys go zipping past. Horns honk to alert of their passing or to call out to the “bule” running down the road, sometimes I am not sure what the symbolism of the honking is.  On Sundays, typically the only non workday of the week, families gather outside their homes to enjoy relaxation and conversation with their children, spouses, and friends.

On this day, after my exceptionally long period of exercise, I decided to treat myself to a soda. Post-exercise, I began what would be a failed, 30-minute quest for a Coke Zero. I knew I had no hopes of finding a Diet Coke, but I thought a Coke Zero was a realistic possibility. Every few meters of my walk meant the passing of another kios (a little shop, often in the form of a small, wooden shanty selling) draped with staple items such as soap, shampoo, flour, sugar, toothpaste, cigarettes, and bensin (gasoline), and of course sodas. But with every kios I passed, I became a little more dispirited. Most kios’ only sold Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta.  I probably walked past 10 kios’ without succeeding in my pursuit of what was seemingly becoming the illusive Coke Zero. As I made my way back to the hotel, I realized I had given up. I was not going to find a Coke Zero near my hotel, and I was certainly not going to find a Diet Coke. I decided that one of my next blog posts would inform you of my failed mission.

However, I am happy to announce there is breaking news in the hunt for Diet Coke! Today as I sat eating dinner with some of the Mars management team, I turned to answer a question posed to me by Frank Mars and as I looked down at his place setting, there sat a shiny, silver can of Diet Coke. I might have gasped out loud and asked him with fervor, “Where did you get a Diet Coke?” He told me he had bought them in Makassar and brought them upcountry with him. He pointed to the end of the table and I turned my head to gaze in the direction in which he was pointing. There at the end of table was a stack of glossy Diet Coke cans like manna from the heavens.