I got my PPL in the Netherlands. The UK is a GA nirvana by comparison....
For example:
- Medical. Half-day event at the national testing centre, booked many many weeks in advance.
- PPL ground exams. Can be taken two or three times in the year, at a testing centre. Mine had to be oral, with Dutch CAA examiners because my Dutch is not so goed.
- Landing fees. Charged every time you descend below 50 feet. You have a strong financial incentive to learn circuits quickly! I never did any solo circuit practice, as it was too expensive.
- The instrument training can only be given by a licensed instrument instructor, of whom there aren't very many. Not a bad idea, but it slows things down a lot.
- The GFT has to be taken with a CAA-employed examiner.
- In my entire training, there were only 2 flights when I made it higher than 1500ft!
- Etc.
On top of which the weather is probably even worse than the UK!
It's a shame, because there are some lovely places to fly to in Holland, and the people are always very welcoming.
But landing in someone's garden? Not likely!