Long Distance Relationship : bear the burden or go for a fling?

I was in your shoes for two and a half years. Don't waste your 20s doing this. You're doing yourself a disservice and your girlfriend. If you have no plans to get married anytime soon, then what's the point of being exclusive with someone so far away and so rarely seen? It may sound harsh, but trust me, if you're decently marketable and have some semblance of game, you'll be much much happier not tied down.