Um, Ok folks, thank you for your comments. I guess I need to be more 'fluid' as Pilotbear suggests.
My experience so far has been at a large commercial airport with ATC and a long runway. I know the circuit off by heart, been round it enough times! and did my first solo there.
Thought I would try a lesson with a school using a grass strip which is a third the length I am used to, but probably is more like the fields I would be using if I ever get my PPL.
My lesson was like starting again, different approach speeds, MATZ in every direction except south, an A/G service that only acknowledged one call in three. Different procedure at end of downwind i.e reducing power, setting flaps and turning base at the same time.
But what worried me the most was flying downwind into the sun and being blinded to any traffic ahead of me or joining. The only thing I could see through the crazed windscreen of this PA28 was the vague outline of a large Cathedral Tower which is where I should turn base. (ok, you know where this is now!)
The sun is very low in the sky here at this time of year so what would you experienced pilots do when the view ahead and below is obscured?
Another experience, the field has an uphill slope on the runway in use, to hold off requires more backpressure! or am I missing something?
Slim-Slag, yes, I find them alright!