I've only flown 40 hrs since getting my PPL but I'm already enjoying landing away at various airfields. I have found that the joins can vary widely, so a rule of thumb I have is always to speak to the location I'm planning to fly to in advance. That way I find out their preferred joining method and the reasons why, so I know how I'm going to approach the airfield long before I get there. I find this eases my in flight workload a good deal and I feel more confoident knowing what to look out for and expect.
p.s. this post probably sounds a bit obvious, but I know of plenty friends who don't bother asking about the join when getting PPR etc.