I might be wrong, but many of the shots in these series seem to be from FSX...
I do not have the hardware necesary to run FSX, but Ive bought it, and Im waiting. Till I get a new PC, im using FS2004. Its nice to fly VFR using the Piper Cub, with no gps, and without accesing the map. Soaring is also fun, try doing a cross country flight in a sailplane.
Flights around the world are a very interesting way to spent your free time. You can use different planes, or the same plane during your trip. Try using a small plane, like the C172. It can get boring, but most likely it wont.
Also, a good way to keep going is start developing addons. You can start with your home airfield.