Mr_Crank, Welcome to the forum.

I would change the double to a mountain triple, perhaps a 22-32-44 or a 28-38-48 'trekking' crankset. Generally the recommended gearing range for an expedition level touring bike is 20-100 GIs. A compact double can cover the extremes of that range with the right cassette, but there maybe some loss fine tuning cadence/effort in the intermediate ratios.

My experience with integrated shifters is very positive, yet I use bar end shifters on my touring and rando bikes, which is just my preference.

I performed many searches on this forum prior to my first touring bike build and I suggest the same for you or anyone contemplating a personal build. Have fun with the build.

Brad