På PHB-sidan 291 läggs tonvikten till:
A petrified creature is transformed, along with any nonmagical object it is wearing or carrying, into a solid inanimate substance (usually stone). Its weight increases by a factor of ten, and it ceases aging.
The creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can't move or speak, and is unaware of its surroundings.
Så karaktären kommer inte att vara medveten om sin omgivning. Eftersom de upphör med åldrandet, skulle jag också vilja bestämma att de inte vet hur länge det har varit.