Age 9 a flight in my father's friend's Piper, right seat, got to hold the yoke, couldn't keep straight (still can't).
Age 10 cockpit visit on Malawi Airways Super VC10, the Captain an unknown uncle WWII Lancaster navigator.
Age 10-16 many boarding school flights on Alitalia and Zambia Airways DC8s, most of the time spent in the cockpit.
Age 16 I became a hangar rat at the local aeroclub.
A simple PPL, with long range bimbles.
In a next life I want to be a professional ferry pilot.