The Aurora is a fine do-it-all bike that seems to work just as well unloaded as loaded, typical of an English style club touring bike rather than a US style expedition tourer.
If your chromoly road bike can accept 32mm tyres, then that is a whole different proposition, you already have a tourable road bike. Work out the cost of any rack, tyre and transmission changes to set up for touring.
I had a similar old roadbike for commuting and I had some upper rack eyelets brazed onto the seatstays, followed by a rattle-can paintjob.
If finances are tight then go with what you have.