competes for the Miss Universe crown in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 20-year-old Devonshire beauty, who entered the local pageant to gain more experience and exposure as a model, yesterday told The Royal Gazette preparation for the contest is "very, very hectic''.

Speaking from her Dusit Thani Hotel room around 11 p.m. Bangkok time, Miss Joseph said: "We had an early night for the first time tonight. But most of the nights we get in at 5.30 p.m., then are taken off to a cocktail party or some other function at 6.30 p.m. until...''.

She also explained that the contestants, from 80 countries, are required to rehearse from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. everyday for the event which will be held next Friday.

"It's more work than fun,'' Miss Joseph said, "but I look at it as a learning experience.'' The Bermuda beauty, who shares a room with Miss Bulgaria, said she is getting along well with her competitors.

"I haven't had any problems,'' she said, adding that she and her roommate "who speaks some English'' have overcome the language barrier by frequently using a dictionary.'' The five-foot, four-inch, 110-pound Colonial Insurance representative said: "Everybody here is gorgeous, but I honestly thought there would be six-feet tall, very slim, runway-type models here.

"But they are all average height like me.'' Miss Joseph added that many of the women have the same amount of modelling experience.

"We're all in the same boat,'' she said. "And even if I do not win, I'm having fun.'' But the slim beauty queen confessed that she is "a little sick of Thai food'' and is "dying for a hamburger''.

Miss Joseph, who will return to Bermuda on May 11, will be wearing blue paisley-print Bermuda shorts, a white polo shirt and a blue jacket -- all from the Bermuda Railway stores -- when she introduces herself to more than a million viewers of the contest which will be aired on ZBM Channel 9 next Friday, beginning at 10 p.m.

BATHING BEAUTIES -- Miss Bermuda Colita Joseph and Miss Philippines Elizabeth Berroys had some fun on the other side of the camera yesterday during a photo shoot at the Thai beach resort of Pattaya. -- Reuter.