Re: just starting ppl
Andy
I'm in my mid-30s and did it all in the USA in September last year.
Some hints that I wish I knew before I started:
You can transfer UK hours to your American Hours and vice versa - the JAA allow you to do this.
Apply for your M-1 Visa ASAP. The process takes about 12 weeks and you WILL have to come to London for a nice day trip to the US Embassy.
Make sure you pay your $100 SEVIS Fee on-line. You will also need to pay the US Embassy £60 (ish) into a bank before you arrive. No proof of both fees being paid = no visa.
You can do your UK PPL in the USA in its entirity. I went to Anglo American Aviation in San Diego and got my full license including RT. The school is run by a couple of British guys and is straight and level. when you get back to the UK you post the forms to the CAA and you get your license - easy as that. This is because Martin Lloyd and Andy Burr are CAA examiners.
Finally some advice you may want - I was there for 3 weeks with zero hours and zero exams passed. I bought the Trevor Thorn books from Amazon.co.uk as they were cheaper than anyone else at the time. I read all of the books and had done the PPL Confuser as well (The Confuser is BRILLIANT to help your *revision*). If you can get any of the exams under your belt in the UK you will have a more relaxed time. On this note I can say the 3 weeks I was there were some of the most challenging of my life - I was exhausted when I got back. I think that if you don't have some hours / exams passed before you go you should discount the thought of it being a holiday with some flying.
Best of luck with your decision - I had a teriffic time and was lucy enough to have a supportive pregnant wife who stayed at home when I lived my dream.