I don't miss anything from older minecraft versions, except maybe the world gen options in the pre alpha days, which I didn't personally experience at the time but have since checked out.
Minecraft has only gotten better, though they've added a lot that I don't have any interest in there hasn't been a change that I dislike. At first hunger was annoying because of how it changed health regen but I got used to it.
gravel was ugly too
it didn't even look like gravel, just some weirdass color vomit
I actually don't like the new gravel that much, but I use texture packs most of the time anyway.