Well I must be a record then - 13 years to get my SEP!!!
Started December 1994 at Booker with a birthday flight. Took 3 paperrounds at the time to save money to afford a flight every couple of months. Eventually moved over to gliding (1997) after about 12 hours of SEP as i just could not afford it. Got distracted by gliding until 2001 when foot and mouth stopped X country flying. Saved up some cash and took a SLMG rating. Retrained as an engineer after the 911 downturn in flightdeck recruitment and again couldn't afford SEP time. Managed to scrounge a few hours here and there but kept up the Gliding and SLMG. Finally got round to converting (via TMG) to SEP in August this year (just short of 13 years). Of course the distraction from SEP in that time amounts to about 120 hrs SLMG and about 800 hrs gliding, including 2 years as an instructor....
Just an alternative to the who dunnit it quickest....
FB