Improve your skill, money well spent!
Visiting family in Texas, I signed up to study for the full instrument rating at Georgetown. And so was able to file IFR for all my US of A flying, in a rented spam can with nothing so elegant (and unnecessary) as an autopilot. I prefer to stop for coffee etc every two or three hours on any trip, and don't get too tired....Feels a lot safer to know the controllers are there to help if needed.
Much easier to fly solo, then you don't have to worry about your passengers.
Once you have the IR and are in practice, it is a pleasure and challenge to fly in clouds of every sort (except CB!). However, as a previous poster has mentioned, in the UK and Europe gliders are frequently found under cumulus clouds. Seldom actually in them.