Mr Morris was left feeling "bitter and frustrated" after someone stole his locked van from outside a hostel on Wanaka's main street on Tuesday night.
Mosgiel constable Don Peat contacted the ODT yesterday to say a member of the public had spotted Mr Morris' silver Mazda Bongo van, abandoned on State Highway 1, between Mosgiel and Henley, yesterday.
Police are now trying to locate a male and female who were seen hitchhiking north on the Taieri flood-free highway near where the van was abandoned.
Mr Morris and companion Peggy were feeling more upbeat about travelling prospects yesterday, after the van was found.
"I guess I've been pretty lucky in some regards. It's certainly a relief," Mr Morris said.
A motorist contacted police about the van and the hitchhiking couple, after reading about the pair's plight in yesterday's ODT, Const Peat said.
The male hitchhiker had attracted the attention of the motorist, because he was sitting on a "big brown suitcase looking absolutely knackered ... as if he had lugged [the bag] a couple of kilometres down the road," Const Peat said.
The hitchhikers were heading north about 12:30pm on Wednesday. The man was described as a tall Caucasian with long brown hair, wearing a blue denim jacket and jeans.
"The public will have seen this couple. If anyone has any information, could they please contact the Wanaka or Mosgiel police stations."
A red mountain bike from the back of the van was unaccounted for, but it appeared other belongings of Mr Morris and Peggy were still in the vehicle, Const Peat said.
The van had been abandoned after it ran out of petrol. Mr Morris is scheduled to travel to Mosgiel today to retrieve his belongings.
