Thanks again to all - very helpful.
Well, I'm going to crack on with the PPL - if it's as great an experience as I think it will be, I may well post again to seek guidance, which will at that point be based (I trust) a little more on reality and experience!
What's clear from the ground work I'm doing at the moment ('completed' the books on "Aeroplane - Technical" and "Radiotelephony"), it's clearly (and quite rightly) a big deal to fly a plane, and there is a tremendous amount of information to absorb.
I now have at least a slight feel for those guys, who've been flying me around the world for the last 20 years in terms of what they have gone through to earn that privilege.
Good on you all!