Don't forget that you will be flying a machine that costs a lot of money to operate. Once you have found your feet, you will probably find that you get more of a kick out of doing the job safely and efficiently rather than just the hand flying aspect.
The automatics can be used to great effect if used properly. For example, it is a lot easier to manage height and energy and enhance SA if you are not using half of your mental capacity on the basic scan and hand flying aspects.
Hand flying has its place. Just pick the right time to do it.