There's a big difference. They don't handle the same way at all. Wheelbase and steering angles are different. There's some overlap, because they are both road bikes, but a real tourer is designed to carry loads, hence, slower speed stability is emphasized. You won't feel like you're diving into corners with this bike.

You have to decide what kind of riding and what kind of handling characteristics you value. But don't go shopping thinking that the only difference is the size of the tires and the ability to put on racks and fenders.

A touring bike can go fast if you pedal hard and fast, but it's not a touring bike for nothing. It won't give you the same kind of sporty ride experience as the more racing-oriented road bike or a sport touring bike. You don't ride a touring bike for that, you ride it to get somewhere in relative comfort and without falling apart under load.

I say "comfort", but I'll also add that a touring bike can beat you up pretty bad, same as any road bike, if you take those wider tires and inflate them hard. Touring bike frames can actually be pretty stiff. They have to be heavier in order to withstand heavy loads.

By the way, how high you can get the handlebars is a matter of sizing. It's not about whether it's a touring bike or a racing bike. There are plenty of people who will argue that riding position on a touring bike shouldn't be any different than riding position on any moderately-fitted road bike. I'm one of them.

Some racing frames have had eyelets which made it easy to install a rack. On one of my last bikes there was enough metal at the drop-outs to have holes drilled for a rack. On my current TREK Madone, I use the axel skewer as the attachment. I use a Blackburn rack with adjustable legs and run the axle through the openings. When the axle is tightened against the drop-outs the frame also supports the weight of the panniers. I carry a spare axel just in case, but I've never bent one yet, even loaded on rough terrain.

It looks like you have toured in some interesting places. I'll have to spend some time reading you journals.