After the visit to Swanwick yesterday I confirmed that area was definetly not for me.
I don't mean to throw a spanner in the works, but what if you
don't get the approach course, if area definitely isn't for you? I don't know the way the numbers split for your course, but when I was there, it was about 3:1 area:approach. More people wanted to do approach than area, however, so a lot were disappointed. There are likely to be a few disappointed people on your course too, I'm afraid.
As for the area vs approach debate, I was happy to get the area course and was looking forward to my posting before I failed Area 2
. Now working at an airport instead, and I love it, but I sometimes still wish I'd got through the area course. I like radar work though.
It's a personal thing, go with whatever you feel drawn to. But be prepared to take whatever cards you are dealt.