Gliding seems like an option, but I'm not convinced it would be worthwhile. My impression of gliding is flying round and round in circles while getting in the way of power pilots who are actually on their way somwehere.
Brilliant!
I started gliding about three years ago, when I had my PPL for two years or so. I always compare it to sailing vs. motorboating. With a motor boat you can be reasonably sure that you're going to get from A to B on schedule, but the trip itself is relatively boring. With sailing, most days you'll be working hard all day, but at the end of the day you'll find yourself back at the same dock where you left that morning.
Gliding is most of all a sport, instead of a method of getting somewhere. The sport is to steer the aircraft so that you're making maximum use of the available lift, to stay aloft as long as you can and eventually get as far away as you can. That requires constant attention to circumstances, where lift is likely to be found, navigation, other airspace users and so on. It's very intensive, particularly on days with only minimal convection. But most glider pilots, at the end of the day, end up at the same place they departed from.
How long can you stay aloft? Well, you'll find that lots of flights last less than ten minutes. Slightly more if you get an aerotow to a reasonable altitude. Those are the typical flights where you cannot find any lift whatsoever, so it's all downhill. In contrast, the longest flights are in excess of 24 hours but you're going to need ridge lift for those. Convective lift only happens roughly between 11am and 5pm because you need sunshine for that.
What's the maximum distance? Well over 3000 km. But those are record-braking flights which do not happen very often. And even then, only in specific circumstances and specific places (long ridges with perpendicular wind for instance). 500 km is quite an achievement on convective lift alone. But (and that's a big but) you have to be lucky with the weather in any case. You cannot use a glider as a reasonably reliable method to get from A to B, unless A and B are both glider sites (with the ability to get you back in the air somehow) and not too far apart.
So don't approach gliding as a method of transport. Approach it as a sport. One that is able to refine your basic flying skills to no end. You'll get a much better feel for what the aircraft, but also the atmosphere is capable of.
If you want to get an intro flight, just phone the club and ask for an intro launch or intro day. They'll be happy to accomodate you.