I made my first trip to India this year and I think my experiences were similar to OP's. Overall, I loved my trip and can't wait to go back. The only thing that really bothered me was the guides' insistence on taking me shopping. They say they are taking you to see how local crafts are made and then put you in a position where you are pressured to buy things. I had only a short time in India and, despite my best attempts to avoid shopping trips, spent far too much time in big, fancy showrooms where they tried to convince me that I would be helping the local people by buying rugs, scarves, stonework, etc. I know the guides earn money if they get you to buy something, but I would have preferred to pay off the guides and have more time to see what I wanted to see.

Now that I know how the game is played, I will be more upfront about refusing to go to these showrooms. I was just a little too slow to catch on this time around and, because our guides didn't always speak good English, I sometimes agreed to go places without a clear understanding of what we were going to see.

That problem aside, I found India to be beautiful and fascinating. The poverty is heart-breaking, but I like to think that tourism helps the situation at least a little and I am hoping to go back soon.