Father was an RN instructor officer, and was posted to Culdrose in the early sixties when I was a child. His duties as also a met. officer there made aviation a constant background during the two years we remained there.
Later, in Birmingham in the early eighties, I started a PPL course, went solo, but gave up a few hours later owing to lack of flying/drinking/curry vouchers.
Early mid-nineties started again, in Leeds, but stopped when I failed the JAR medical. Started on a long course satisfying the various medical tests the CAA required.
Mid-2002, the NPPL arrived. Flying salvation! So, took the course, got the DVLA-type medical, and gained the NPPL in late 2002 - now having satisfied the CAA for JAR medical I have converted to JAR-PPL.
I never realized I was so determined to get qualified as a pilot, until, as has already been said on this thread, one realized quite how much satisfaction it gives.