I'd say you need to make a call to an instructor (or a very experienced pilot) to schedule a bit of x-country flying with him/her.
Flying in Florida is different from flying in the UK and it will not hurt to do a few flights with an instructor before you go off on your own. And not just as a club checkout, but specifically all those things that the US does not have. OHJ, landing on grass, MATZ penetration, flight levels, talking to AFIS or A/G, you name it.
Been there, done that.
I envy your experience backpacker... I have only limited X-country experience in the UK.
Perhaps you are right, although....Grass landings aside, I feel confident I could more than cope with the RT differences without relying on an instructor now.
Its just the RT section of my air law textbook seems to be missing the required calls specifically for an overhead join which is why I asked the question.