You have to change gear a bit more often that with the larger engined cars but for me, that is part of the pleasure.
Absolutely. For me, selecting the correct gear to obtain the required torque output for the circumstances is an integral part of the driving experience. In any case, I've been driving manual cars for over 40 years. I've done it a lot and dare I say I've got quite good at it, changing gear holds no fear for me.