<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23278">Rolph and I got to Heathrow in good time. We could see the flight had landed and baggage was on the carousel, so we stood by the ropes eagerly waiting for our friends. And waited.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23279"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23280"></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23281">Suddenly, I heard my name being called, and there fluttering above my head on golden wings I saw a beautiful basset angel. I knew immediately it had to be Duchess. She was looking a bit worried and explained there was a bit of a commotion going on. Sasha had packed a suitcase full of her favourite treats, because she was worried she wouldn’t be able to buy any in the UK, but the sniffer dogs had surrounded her bag and wouldn’t let anyone approach. Sasha was furious. Meanwhile, a customs official had the temerity to go through Pawtunia’s suitcase, messing up her dresses which she had packed extra carefully for the journey and she wasn’t happy.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23282"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23283"></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23284">Rolph murmured “I’ve got this” and went sauntering off with his tail at a jaunty angle. ‘Oh no,’ I thought. ‘this means trouble. The next thing I knew there was a loud bang and a luggage buggy was charging the wrong way through the exit with Rolph at the wheel and people and hounds jumping in every direction. Rolph had his front paw on the horn and his back foot with the pedal on the metal.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23285"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23286"></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23287">Just minutes later, the buggy reappeared with hounds and cases in the back, on the roof and swinging from the back bars. Up above Duchess, Twinkletoes and Stuart were urging them on. “Jump on!” Rolph yelled as he powered the buggy past. I leapt sideways and landed straight on top of poor Millie who was desperately trying to get the hounds to balance better to stop the cart overturning. Mac, Ted and Paisley were happily handing out cakes and cookies they had sniffed and grabbed as the cart had passed the coffee shop.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23288">I spun round just in time to see the steps leading down to the Underground station looming at us. “Grab your bags and JUMP!”, I yelled and everyone did, just in time for the buggy to go straight through the entrance and plough down the steps.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23289"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23290"></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23291">“This way!” yelled Rudy, hovering above us on his angel wings, “There’s a service ramp over here”.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23292"> We all followed him through a door and raced straight out on to the Tube platform. Luckily the train was just about to leave and with one last bound we made it through the doors and collapsed laughing like idiots as shocked tourists took photographs. “This will be all over the gossip columns tomorrow,” groaned Rolph, but I swear he was posing all the same. That’s the problem with having a celebrity for a brother.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23293"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23294"></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23295">We got off at Oxford Circus for the sumptuous, 5-star Courthouse Hotel, which used to be a real court house. The very court room where Oscar Wilde and John Lennon were convicted has been turned into a restaurant. Upstairs, our suite had beautiful deep, comfy beds and silk sofas, with thick, comfy rugs on the floor. Best of all, there was a treat left on every pillow and fresh water bowls in every corner.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23296"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23297"></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23298">Exhausted after our great getaway, most of sunk down for a thorough nap, even though Mozart and Paisley couldn’t resist jumping on the beds, egged on somewhat by Stonewall and Samantha. It wasn’t long before we were all snoozing – although how we slept through Ted and Mac’s snoring is a mystery!</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23299"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23300"></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23301"></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23302">See where we were: <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23303"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.courthouse-hotel.com/" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212);" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23304">www.courthouse-hotel.com</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.sadlerswells.com/" style="color: rgb(25, 106, 212);" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23305">http://www.sadlerswells.com/</a></span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23306"><br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23307"></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493571182250_23308">Clara, with Rolph, UK</div></div></body></html>