Well, you asked for it.
I learnt in the costal desert of Peru. It never rained and with the Pacific on one side and the Andes on the other, it is no wonder that meteorology and navigation are not my strong points.
My instructor was Guido Fernandez, who much later investigated the crash of Aeroperu 603. There was no ultralight licence and hence no need for exams, but the ATPLs who provided the training made sure we knew what was necessary, as they did not want an incident to come to the attention of the authorities and result in regulation.
Flying was a lot of fun and the inverted Cuyuna on my American Aerolites Eagle certainly taught me how to handle engine failures. I have very fond memories of skimming along deserted beaches and teasing Dobermans guarding chickens farms by flying just out of reach of their snapping jaws.
But I really learnt to fly in Ecuador, launching in hang-gliders from 12000' up Mt Pichincha to land in Quito, 3000' below.