Depends on country regulations, licenses, and airspace. For the EASA PPL in uncontrolled airspace, there is no "surface in sight" requirement for VFR flight.
But I know the VMC minima is always to have surface in sight if you remain below 3000 feet.
I too am part way through (just gone solo) and am still a little muddled with the different rules between what a PPL is allowed to do, what the VFR rules are and what VMC is.
By all means send me back to the books, but can anyone describe these three things in a simple way?
Is it as simple as "fly above 3000 feet and you're exempt the 'ground in sight' rule"?