5.12.2017: Where did the damn sausage go?!

At the end of the day, we will have covered 224 km, but we start our day relaxed.

After breakfast and check-out, we set off for the 3.7 km long Estuary Walkway in Invercargill, which circles the Pleasure Bay Lagoon. There are dozens of black swans and ducks with ducklings in the water. During our walk, we only encounter one fisherman, otherwise we have the track and the tranquility all to ourselves.

From here, we continue to Riverton. Within Invercargill, we pass 4 gas stations along the main road in just 5 minutes, where the fuel costs the standard 2.14 NZD everywhere. On the less frequented State Highway 99, the fuel is 5 cents cheaper. Of course, we don't hesitate to fill up. After about 40 km, we reach the next destination, drive leisurely through the small coastal town, and look out for the Big Paua, which appears behind a curve to our right and must be photographed by me immediately. Not spectacular enough for Eric; he waits in the car.

The next stop is dedicated to another 'giant thing'. This time it's a surfing surfer that we find in Colac Bay.

On the way to Tuatapere, we see Monkey Island signposted 1 km away. Since I can't find anything about it in my guidebooks, we decide to drive there and end up at a beach popular with surfers. A small island is nearby, but it can only be reached on foot at low tide (and therefore theoretically not an island in the true sense). At the time of our visit, access is flooded and the people in the water are struggling with the waves. So we just take a photo from a distance. Unfortunately, the information board does not say how the island got its name, only that Maori used it to look for whales.

The last 'big thing' is the sausage impaled on a fork in the self-proclaimed sausage capital Tuatapere. Since such sculptures are always placed directly on the highway, usually near the entrance to a town, and we have not found it, we ask two locals at a take away shop, where we also order lunch. The two women have never heard of such a statue, let alone seen it. Strange. We postpone our search until after lunch. I have a generously filled chicken burger and Eric has sausages with egg and fries as well as an L&P lemonade, which is produced and distributed exclusively in New Zealand. Strengthened, we continue our search, even asking at the tourist information office - without success. After driving up and down the highway three times, we give up (or rather, I give up) disappointed; to make matters worse, I accidentally jam my right hand in the door of the tourist information office and the affected area turns slightly blue and swollen within minutes.

We mostly drive in silence on the way to the Clifdon Caves due to my frustration. When we arrive at the parking lot, we put on our water shoes, equip ourselves with flashlights, and start our cave adventure. However, we don't get very far. The path is signposted, but also includes sections where you have to crawl on your hands and knees between narrow rock walls. That's something for me as a mini-claustrophobic. At the first one, we turn back; despite its brevity, it was exciting and we even saw 3 glowworms. According to the guide, if you want to walk through the entire cave, plan 1.5-2 hours and expect knee-high water.

On the way to Lake Manapouri, there are always great views. At one point, the whole valley, covered with yellow flowering gorse bushes, lies at our feet and the eye wanders over the wooded hills to the snow-covered mountain peaks. I give Eric an enthusiastic look, but his chin is once again resting on his chest. Despite getting an average of 9 hours of sleep, he is often tired and quickly falls asleep in the car on long stretches. This also sacrifices the driver's entertainment.

At Lake Manapouri, we take a break of about an hour, walk down to the pebble beach, admire the beauty of the fjordland, and test the water temperature - surprisingly very pleasant.

Then it's time to book a hostel for the next few days. Although we have already reserved one in Germany for the day before and after our multi-day hike, it only applies from the 8th. Said hostel is fully booked, but can offer us a room from tomorrow. We seize the opportunity and book a night in another hostel in Te Anau. It is located right next to an alpaca pasture, offers free Wi-Fi, free use of the washing machine, a spacious kitchen, and an even larger lounge with a glass facade, so you can enjoy the great view. A dream. It's actually a shame that we only stay one night and leave early tomorrow, but at the same time we are looking forward to the double room in the other hostel. Tonight we share the room with two young girls.