HARI HARI At the time of visiting Hari Hari it was unfortunately pouring with rain, which prevented the opportunity to walk the town. But Hari Hari did have the qualifiable items that determined inclusion and so here is the synopsis mainly from Wikipedia. Hari Hari sometimes wrongly referred to as "Harihari" (meaning "Ambulance"), is a small rural settlement in the South West of the West Coast region of the South Island. It is slightly inland from the Tasman Sea and the Saltwater Lagoon and is situated between the Wanganui and Poerua Rivers, 45 minutes south of the tourist town of Hokitika. State Highway 6 passes through the town on its route from Ross to the Fran Josef Glacier. Hari Hari's main claim to fame occurred on 7 January 1931 when Australian aviator Guy Menzies landed upside down in a swamp near Hari Hari, completing the first solo flight across the Tasman Sea. Menzies, who had left Sydney 11 hours and 45 minutes earlier, was aiming for Blenheim but had been blown off course and mistook a swamp for flat pasture suitable for landing. Despite the accident, he was unharmed. On 7 January 2006, 75th anniversary celebrations of the feat were held in Hari Hari, with roughly 400 people in attendance. To mark the occasion, Dick Smith recreated Guy Menzies' flight, though Smith chose to land upright in Hari Hari. One has the impression Hari Hari is in a very pretty part of the country. Hari Hari has a hotel, War Memorial and church.