Thanks everyone for your replies - at least I don't feel quite so isolated with this problem having heard about your experiences.
Ah Vortex - as you say, life is a bummer at times - your girlfriend obviously wasn't impressed by your incredible prowess in getting your PPL - her loss!! Your story makes me shudder to think what might yet be up ahead for me in this. If I was working or could otherwise somehow justify the extortionate amounts of money requested to complete this PPL, it might make my life just a shade easier. SOmeone, somewhere must be making something out of all these daft regulations. I can appreciate that perhaps in certain cases the UK CAA might not be the most comfortable with experience gained elsewhere being up to its (perfect of course) standard. But I'm sorry - personally I think they just want to penalise those of us who want to save our pennies for other purposes by insisting that regardless of how much we've done elsewhere it's of no value whatsoever here. Like I said, to me that argument only holds water if you take it all the way - i.e. ignore a foreign GFT/licence etc and just tell people that you have to do the heap here or else!! I am getting a bit angry about it, only because I can't see any sense in these regulations - somehow though, I suspect I'm only flogging a dead cow here - probably many of you have been there done that, and bitten the bullet - perhaps you were able to manage the money just a shade easier than I can though - if everyone just accepts this state of affairs will it ever change, or is avaiation doomed to be the province of the rich alone?? I feel a bit like I won the lottery only to have the cheque torn up and no hope of re-issue. To have got so far with my flying, yet be forced to consider giving it up over such regulations is really upsetting. I thought that there was supposed to be a drive to persuade people to take up GA - not penalise them for trying to save money by doing so overseas (and besides, in some respects, doing so wasn't entirely my choice in the first place).
Apologies again - I know none of you are to blame for my situation, so forgive me for venting off steam here - only place I can do so where someone may at least understand my predicament. Anyone out there fancy sponsoring my flight back to SA???? All offers extremely appreciated, so long as reciprocation isn't expected!!!Thanks.
TR
[ 26 July 2001: Message edited by: TikkiRo ]