I have a Thorn Audax, a Surly Long Haul Trucker and a Surly Troll (Rohloff). And I've just picked up a 1967 Flying Scot. All suitable for touring. The last trip (Barcelona/Edinburgh) I did notice a significant number of Surly's being ridden.
Dawes are not good value anymore, but you can probably pick up a cheap old one which is. A Thorn (even second hand) is a lot of money to put down if you're not really sure what you're after. A decent 700c wheelset can handle the rough stuff (this pic is the Long Haul Trucker on the Corrieyairack Pass, 28mm tyres).
There's no ideal bike though, as we all find different things good. You learn what you need by trying things out. Thankfully, in cycling, trying things out tends not to be too expensive. So long as your existing bike is comfortable, it's the best place to start. Audax's are quite good events to establish if your bike is comfotable or not.
Once you have a few trips away you'll establish how much stuff you want to carry, and where you want to go. That then determines how strong the bike/luggage needs to be. Then it's just how much cash you want to spend
cheers
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