Christine is one of the founder members of Thelma &Louise, an online community of women worldwide which enables members to meet like-minded women, find travel companions and fulfil their aspirations. We've been following her progress as she attempts to be selected for a RTW sailing trip....

Hi Christine! Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for us. You applied to join a sailing crew having seen an advert on the Underground; had you ever had any sailing experience before? What gave you the impetus to pick up the phone and apply?
What impressed me about the ad was that they listed the sailors as "housewife, doctor mechanic etc" implying that, like me, they had never sailed before. So I thought that if we were all amateurs I couldn't look like too much of an idiot. However, my subsequent experience once I signed up, is that most of the people qualifying to sail round the world, or do a leg of the race - are in fact experienced sailors. One guy I sailed with, Fred, is a RYA sailing instrucor of 30 year's experience from Sydney. But they have all been as nice as pie about having a land lubber on board.

What were the reactions of your friends and family, and did anyone give you any useful advice before you embarked for the first time?
My brother and father have both sailed, and my brother currently has a power boat in Spain. They said in unison " Yachties are mad. At the end of a few weeks crammed together in insanitary conditions you will all be at eachother's throats - and the stink will be indescribable. It will be freeezing and you will never get dry, the food will be disgusting. You will hate it. " Well actually the food is the worst I have eaten since boading school, and the conditions are pretty bad. But the company has been great and I have laughed until my jaw has ached.

Would you say you were nervous or just madly excited prior to launch? How did you prepare; any unusual exercises??
I was intimidated the first time I climbed onto the yacht. As I was choosing a bunk, the first mate advised me to put my soft bag in a bin liner, as the boat often leaked and my clothes could all end up wet. I didn't prepare at all - just trusted to luck.

Do you suffer from seasickness, and if you do, how do you combat it?
A doctor friend who sails told me to get seasickness patches, which have to be prescribed by the doctor. So I wasn't seasick - but then I probably have a cast iron stomach anyway.

How do you manage to eat and drink when the yacht is rolling about all over the place? I imagine that one could survive just on chocolate biscuits for a certain period of time, but do you ever get to eat a hot meal?
Meals are mainly from tins - it is amazing what can be created without fresh ingredients. Curried sauce and tinned meat with rice seems appetising when you are ravenous. On the last trip we had baked beans three times in a week. The oven is on hinges and it rocks with the boat, and there is a strap so you can attach yourself to the cooker when the boat is on a slant. The hot water can be a bit dangerous but the advice is to wear your water proof clothes so that if you catch fire you have some protection. It's a bit sweaty but you get used to it. I can't eat baked beans but my meal vanished in a flash when I advertised its availability.

On the same topic, how tricky is it to get to sleep without rolling out of your bunk? And do you ever get more than a couple of hours at once? I am fairly certain that such an erratic sleep pattern would make me VERY grumpy.... do you get used to it or is it a constant battle?
The bunks are fitted with a lee cloth so that you are held in - otherwise you can "hot bunk " - you go to the down side of the boat and take someone else's berth if they are up on deck. The watch pattern is three or four hours on and then off - the bunks are so hard and narrow that you have to sleep on your back. This makes the overweight men snore - but I have to say that I had no trouble in sleeping, even just an hour was refreshing. But my back would be so stiff that I would feel like a cripple trying to get out of my bunk. But just half an hour on the deck in the fresh air and sunshine and I would feel happy as Larry again.

When you are cold and wet and verging on the desperately knackered, how do you all keep your spirits up?
The first Skipper I sailed with got us to play memory games, and tell jokes. People chatter and we get to know eachother. If someone is sick you grade their retching on a scale of one to ten - a really good vomit gets a resounding cheer. All very juvenile but good for the team spirit.

We recently visited an open Viking longship that was sailing from Dublin to Denmark, and the question that was asked most by almost everyone was "how do you manage to go to the loo onboard?" Presumably you have a little more privacy, but again, I have experienced hanging on for grim death on a cross-channel ferry on a mildly choppy sea, so imagine that it could get a little difficult in high seas. Do you just grin and bear it, or quietly dehydrate until the seas calm again and it is safe to drink?
The two toilets (heads) have a plastic cloth door which is zipped up on each side. There is no sound insulation. I would wait until everyone was on deck - but if you can't you just have to get on with it.

How much gear can you take, and what items have you found most useful?
There is space for a small soft bag. A torch is useful for finding your things in the dark - wet wipes are a must. I was very thankful for my long johns which I could sleep in and preserve my modesty when getting in and out of my wet weather gear.

Have you seen much in the way of interesting wildlife (apart from drunken crew at Cowes)?
I have only sailed in the Channel which is limited, but a wide sky on a clear night takes some beating.

Finally, what are your tip tips for any budding sailors amongst us?
What I have started to appreciate is that sailing is a team sport. You have to think "team" and not "me". Repression of the self is a new experience for me, and is rewarding. People have liked me, although I have not looked at myself in a mirror for three days and have no idea if I have spinach between my teeth. We have helped and supported each other and become friends. You depend on eachother. And you stop thinking about unimportant things which are civilised niceties. On a racing boat every moment is about speed and winning.

Thanks very much, and we look forward to watching your progress next year on your epic voyage!!