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[[underline]]Wednesday, January 20[[/underline]]
This should be, weather permitting, the last full day of work in the Allan Hills or Western Ice Fields. The day I was counting toward. I am very sorry I have missed this last week. I would like to go home fully satisfied w my performance and a full month of field work accomplished. 
This was a lovely day ~ 18 [[degrees]] C. I arose about 8:30. I had breakfast in Hunt Room. Then I called Ferne -- still no answer. I worked all thru my Wegener manuscript & called again. Still nothing. I never got hungry so made lunch on an orange I brought from McMurdo and some coffee and the last of my chocolate bar. 
I couldn't just sit here so I planned to go to the Museum. Called for Margaret Bradshaw & learned she is on holiday. Will be back next week. Harrowfield is also away. Cape Adore. At 2:45 I decided to take the advice of a brochure and call a Blue Star taxi for a trip out to Summer & Lyttleton. The quote was $18.00/hr.
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 I said 2 hours -- came at 3:30. I explained that I wanted to look for birds. The mud flats at Summer would do. The dispatcher suggested the sewage ponds as well. It was a deal. 
At 3:27 I got a call went out and found an immaculate taxi with a fine looking young driver. I had warned of my broken leg & so was promised a considerate driver. He suggested I sit in front for more leg room. It was the best arrangement for sightseeing, taking pictures, & talking. He took me thru the grounds of Mona Vale, and old estate at the edge of the river & RR track. Its public now for w  rose & dahlia gardens much used for weddings & parties. 
Thence to the sewage ponds -- full of grey ducks & black swans, other ponds full of S. black-headed gulls & the 2 red-billed & black-billed gulls. Terns may have been present but I spent a little time looking. We saw one white-faced heron and several Pukeko, gorgeous big blue & brown [[galli?]] - 
There were clouds of gulls over an open dump & blown papers all along the fence -- shocking. The tide was high so no mud flats at Summer. The water was a lovely green in the Estuary & the sea. I took a picture of Shag Rock and