Hmmm.
There are a billion people who wish they could jack it all in and go and study the thing they always wanted to study, or to restore old cars, or open a restaurant.

All good, except for the jacking it all in part.

What I do know about physics (generalising here) is that you'll struggle to get a decent start at 36. If you're not straight out of school and into it, you're not considered to be dedicated enough. Research grants are hard to come by, they'll go to the people who have 15 years experience, or the hungry 22 year olds.

My stepfather was a dentist, he had a nurse who had a physics degree. She took a year off after she graduated to see the world, and when she came back couldn't find anybody willing to employ her.

Can't say this applies to everybody, but I'd rather be a 36 year old engineer with a job, and a shed full of physics stuff to play with in my own time, than a 40 year old recent graduate with no job.
(username failed moderation, Wed 8 May 2013, 8:27, Reply)