A suggestion:
It sounds like you are worrying about some trivial things and also making this all a way bigger deal than it needs to be. Why not just take the bike you have and do some touring? Then you can make decisions about gear and bike upgrades from a more informed position. You may find that you don't need the upgrades you now think you do or that what you need is entirely different than you think.

Touring is really way more about the riding than it is about the bike.