long distance play partner in toronto, were in vancouver

met a guy in toronto at a conference last year and we connected hard, both single in our 30s, both into the LS, both into each other beyond just play... it's been nine months of texting daily and visits every 6-8 weeks. we've done both directions, his place, mine, neutral hotels. its working but its expensive and exhausting. anyone made long distance LS connections work over years, or did it always either become real-relationship or fizzle out