Indonesia: con jobs and hold-ups?

[ColinD]

Hi,

Self and travel buddy will be riding Malaysia to East Timor via Borneo in a couple of months.

He has some concerns about safety, having heard stories of bogus "officials" demanding special payments, and even highway robbery at gunpoint.

Recently a contact in Indo, from whom we were seeking advice about ferry schedules, came back with the advice that we should avoid Flores at all costs, due to bandits and bogus officials. Interestingly, he is from Java and it tends to confirm my earlier advice that Indonesians frequently advise against travelling in other provinces (i.e. anywhere but their own province). I have no idea if he has actually been to Flores, although he was recommended as being well travelled. Coincidentally he did not provide any information at all about the ferry schedules.

I've travelled in poor countries before, usually alone, had my camera snatched, been the only white person in sight, and I know that sh!t can happen when there's an opportunity and a motive. That's something you have to manage in adventure travel.

But reading the various blogs and posts, I'm really very surprised that this guy has warned against Flores. It seems like a fine place to ride. I've been emailing with an Aussie couple who road across it last year and they loved it, although they said the road is slow going.

So my request is this: aside from con-artists trying their luck on niaive tourists, is there really anything my travel buddy needs to worry about in Indonesia? In particular Flores, Sulawesi or Kalimantan? Can anybody on the forum confirm an actual armed hold-up? (no anecdotals please ... just confirmed incidents).

cheers
Colin
Sydney