Egypt presented its own difficulties. As the first country on their schedule without a sizable Indian population, the cousins were largely on their own, and they found few English speakers in the rural towns and villages on their route. In addition, they ran out of money before reaching Cairo. Despite the hardships, they had only kind words for Egypt. If you ask for directions, they'll take you there themselves.
Funding remains a challenge.
Khan said they have received little formal help from the Indian government and, apart from their plane tickets to Africa, which were donated by a Bangalore youth group, much of the money has come from their own pockets. Prashaend Pase, the Indian embassy's second secretary for information, said the government does what it can to help out. I don't know about funding, but we provided them with all the assistance we could while they were in Egypt. They ride 12-speed mountain bikes donated by Avon, a Tanzanian bike manufacturer. Uncertainty over visas and funding means their itinerary might change, but some countries are priorities.