At home in England I was tempted by the ski brochures. I could imagine the snow, blue sky and scenery, and the feeling of achievement at mastering a new skill. Instead I was tired and cold, and my instructor was shouting at me!

I never expected to become a brilliant skier. However, as an enthusiastic beginner I was keen to learn, but frequently felt nervous on the slopes. If you're only on holiday for a week you want to enjoy it - not worry about skiing again the next day! Maybe it was time to give up?

Soon this experience I read Claudia Carbone's book WomenSKI. Claudia outlines how and why women ski differently than men, and offers solutions to help women get more enjoyment from the sport. The last chapter explains why all-women classes have gained popularity in North America since they began nearly 30 years ago. This inspired me to try again.

I joined Women's Ski Discovery at Sugarbush (in Vermont, USA). My instructor gave me the confidence to believe that I could go down that slope - and enjoy it! There were women of all ability levels, and they understood how I felt. We mastered skills and gained confidence. Our skiing improved, and WE ENJOYED OURSELVES. YES!!

Resorts are aware that more women give up skiing than men. There's a variety of reasons, including instruction that's more tuned to the way men learn. Lessons specifically for women are one way to reverse this trend. There are 250+ resorts around the world listed in this directory. Let's support these, and encourage other resorts to offer all-women classes too.

Before my holiday in February 2000, I'd spent considerable time searching for information about ski programmes for women. Bringing this information together in one place is the focus of skilikeawoman.com.

Women's Ski Discovery gave me a feeling of "I can do it!". I want other women to experience that - it's what skilikeawoman.com is all about.