Edinburgh-based accountant Gillian Donald is currently on the biggest challenge of her life, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.
The 50-year-old (pictured on board by Chris Jack) swapped crunching numbers for a full circumnavigation of the globe as part of the Imagine Your Korea team.
She recently spent Christmas and New Year at sea and is set to celebrate Burns Night at sea too, with traditional Scottish shortbread stashed away.
Her journey started in London last August and she has so far travelled to to Portugal, Uruguay, South Africa and Australia and is now racing to China.
By the end of the race, she will have sailed over 40,000 nautical miles and her previous experience
has been in the inshore waters of Scotland.
Gillian said the four weeks of intensive training she undertook before her global adventure prepared her for the epic task ahead.
She said: “My friends and family think I’m brave and adventurous and are proud of me. The team aspect of the Clipper Race has been important to me.
“I’ve really missed family and friends, much more than I thought, and am glad of the ability to phone and email back home from some of the most remote parts of the world from the boat.”
Now she has passed the midway point of the race, Gillian feels more relaxed and her concentration has improved.
She added: “Interestingly. I think I’ve become tougher in some respects and softer in others. My perspective has shifted to suit the nature of my life. I can sleep through pretty much anything.”
The race finishes in London’s Royal Albert Dock in August 2020.
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/
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