illiland Sightseeing Bus

aron Von Lodge was the head of a small country known as Lilliland near Switzerland. The time was the early 1900s.

The Baron and his fiancée Lady Angela of Alpine Castle were very proud of Lilliland. This was very evident when he would wave at the many sightseeing busses as they drove by. The tour busses would stop at Lilliland Castle and the Baron would wave to the visitors from his balcony, or from the garden, or from wherever he was on the castle grounds.

Tourism was very good for Lilliland and the Baron wanted to make sure that visitors felt welcome and had an enjoyable time. Much of the money from tourism went to support the local schools, hospitals and the parks all over the country.

Tourists would arrive by bus, train, or automobile and the Baron wanted to make sure all the hotel and restaurant accommodations were as good as they could be. The best form of advertising was for one touring family to tell another future touring family. A cheerful smile and friendly attitude from the people of Lilliland meant a lot to the visitors.

Many people think that visitors are only interested in skiing in the Alpine Mountains, others think that it is the boating that brings in the tourists, and others are sure it is the winter ice-skating on Castle Lake. Whatever the reason, the Baron wanted to make sure all visitors are treated with care and respect.

One afternoon the Baron received some tragic news about a sightseeing bus full of tourists on their way to Lilliland. There were 25 passengers, the bus driver, and a tour guide. The bus had developed mechanical trouble and hit a mountain road guardrail.

The safety guardrail was not holding the bus and it began to slip down the side of the mountain. For just a brief moment, as the guardrail held, all the passengers on the bus were able to get out safely. A few of them had some minor bumps and bruises, and four required brief hospitalization for observation.

The Baron immediately ordered an inspection of all of the safety rails on the roadway along which the busses traveled. He also ordered double guardrails at certain critical areas.

The Baron consulted with his chief advisor, Professor Hamblin, to make certain all necessary steps were taken to protect everyone.

Then the Baron said that the busses should be inspected on a regular basis to make certain that they were always in proper working order. “Safety for all the people of Lilliland and the tourists came first,” the Baron would say.