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[[preprinted]] 7 [[/preprinted]]

After a morning of that (sev. others showed up too) we were looking for the store (PX); one of the NZ CDC-men asked me to buy him 2 towels there. ^[[CDC Doug Russell Tony Condon NZ]] Went over - got towels. Antarctic Calendars (for Tom & Gayl); socks, & chocolate. To P.O. w big hassle mailing notes & calendars: back to CDC w towels (big rust ones for $2.45 for D. Russell.) Virginia had appt in PM so Susan & I went to Airport bank, then caught taxi -- same woman as 1st morning! We wanted to bird, so I asked driver about rates to Lake Ellesmere. After much speculation (she on radio to boss) we struck a deal & she was delighted. In town a quick lunch at counter; dash to Am Exp. for more T.cks -> back for NZ currency; past Drug Store (bought glasses case) saw more than before of downtown Crch. Walked & ran home for 3 PM taxi.. there it waited w. [[underlined]] another [[/underlined]] woman driver! Older - probably bosses' wife.

Rain cleared away; sunny PM across flat farmlands to Lakes: black swans, white-backed magpies. Took a by-road beyond lake & ended nowhere. Decided to go on to Lake Forsythe -- There were swans, stilts, herons, canada geese, skylarks, marsh hawks, ^(see p.117)
^[[1st bird a Taka (sp) (a purple [[gallin??)]] ]]

We had lovely time w final quick stop on the beach (Gemstone Beach) ^[[$~45.]]
Back home Virginia in room -- no one else around.

We 3 had dinner at [[underlined]] The Guardsman [[/underlined]] after much hesitation because of our dress. It was good, & we celebrated:   rusty nail, bubbling white wine - lamb.  We discussed women & role models. Two young, independent, healthy women, each w long blond hair of almost identical color. Susan w blue eyes, blond eyebrows, well-moulded face; Virginia w oval face & a quizzical, earthy human. She had gone to Hawaii from Alaska, experienced culture-shock, & retreated up Mauna Loa to wilderness. Visited a man who had been her father's C.O. in WWII. He brought her to airport where introd. him to me. She takes air samples for aerosol meas. & will be at S. Pole then to N.Z. where she can hike thru Feb. while taking a few measurements. Susan, marine biol. goes to [[??]] the hole thru ice shelf -later on [[??]] ice breaker. [[strikethrough]] She [[/strikethrough]] They both commented they like to see women of all ages -> Antarctica -- discussed my career, & seemed to appreciate having me with them. Great for me!