I've thought a lot about the flying too and some of my friends who really do care about climate change and do pay a carbon offset, but it does seem a bit ludicrous to tell yourself that the offset is/will be enough.
Perhaps, a better plan would be each person only allowed one flight per year and those who are making daily flights for business would have to find a better way, or buy theirs from people who aren't going to use theirs? I know, that's never going to happen....I'm just dreaming up silly solutions.
So, I'm not so sure what we do? Like you, I've learned much traveling and appreciate the world more, but also don't fly that often. I'm trying not to participate as much in corporate culture and that means earning less money in order to do more important things (like garden and give time to my community) so in doing that I have less money to buy plane tickets ;)