Fizzy Lifting Drinks

Some may think this is sad, but let's be honest, I can't live without some kind of fizzy drink, preferably my beloved Diet Pepsi. Most places that I have traveled have had Coke Light readily available. However, finding this beverage in Addis can be a challenge. Thus, I have to make adjustments. Pictured here is my newfound solution to this problem (thanks to my colleague, Mahelet, for the introduction). It makes me think I am drinking diet pop without it being diet. I mix 50% soda with 50% sparkling water. It still has sugar but at least it doesn't feel like it is rotting my teeth. I did make an attempt today to drink the sparkling water without any pop, and while I was able to swallow it (unlike my first experience with sparkling water when it was poured from a pitcher into my glass at age 13 in the Czech Republic), I'm not sure if I will ever be able to drink it and enjoy it.

Side note: After I wrote this post, I noticed that I had used the word "soda" instead of "pop" which is clearly problematic. It's pop, not soda! So, I have adjusted accordingly so as not to offend soda or pop drinkers.