It would appear the 'license to learn element' of training has been lost on this gentleman.
To be honest when I was 17 and had a PPL I had all sorts of trips in mind of varying degrees of viability. There was so much that I did not know and so much more I did not know I did not know. I could fly well but none of my instructors had really been the good GA types who could really help with expanding my GA experience and make things like doing a long European trip a solid reality.
I'm not sure 'licence to learn' had been really instilled in me either and I doubt you would get that from a typical US based school. It was more like well done you have your PPL and that was about it.
It sounds like the OP is trying to do some research and his enthusiasm should be commended for actually wanting to use his PPL to go somewhere.