The National Trust is encouraging people to record the activities for yesterday as an historical record of what the country was doing on October 17, 2006 (see http://www.historymatters.org.uk/output/page96.asp). I've summarized my day there, but here's a somewhat expanded record of a slightly out-of-the-ordinary 24hrs (+55 minutes)

5:50am BST. Wake up, shower, coffee
6:35am Drive to Lancaster station
7:15am Train to Manchester Airport (on time)
8:55am Arrive Manchester Airport (10 min late)
9:15am Check in for flight to Chicago
9:40am Join queue for security ...
10:05am ... through security
10:35am Board
11:05am Flight departs (on time)

... next 8hrs 10min spent reading (Lindsey Davis "Last Act In Palmyra", Terry Pratchett "Thud"), writing up notes for work, listening to music (KT Tunstall, Bellowhead, ZZ Top, Robyn Hitchcock, The Mars Volta, Trees) on my iPod, eating medioce food, drinking sem-decent Italian red wine ...

1:15pm CDT. Flight lands at Chicago O'Hare airport (on time). I'm travelling on a new US visa, and had been forewarned that immigration might need to check through paperwork and/or conduct a secondary interview, so I'd booked flights with more time than I'd usually allow for my onward connection
1:40pm Very short queue at immigration, just a very quick check on my visa paperwork, no delays in collecting bags or at customs ... only 5 hours 35 minutes until my connection is due to leave ...
1:45pm Check with airline to see if there's an earlier flight ... there isn't
1:50pm Phone home to let the family know that the first part of my journey is complete
2:30pm In departure terminal, through security, make way to United Red Carpet Club lounge

... next 4hrs spent reading (finishing "Thud", starting Richard Dawkins's "The God Delusion"), checking email, drinking bad coffee ...

6:30pm Go to gate for next flight
6:50pm Board
7:10pm Pilot: "we're just completing paperwork, we'll be on our way in a few minutes"
7:20pm Pilot: "we're just getting maintenance to check a couple of things, we'll be on our way in a few minutes"
7:35pm Pilot: "maintenance says its a no-go ... the airline's locating an alternate aircraft for you"
7:45pm Off the plane ... gate agent says to hang on, they'll have information soon
7:55pm Good news ... flight will leave (from a different gate) at 8:30pm
8:15pm At the new gate ... "Passengers waiting for the flight to Charleston, we'll be boarding you in 15-20 minutes"
8:35pm "Passengers waiting for the flight to Charleston, your flight will now leave from (the original gate) at 9:30"
8:40pm Hungry. Only place to get something quickly is McDonald's :-(
8:45pm Back at the original gate. Screens confirm 9:30 departure.
8:50pm Screens updated - now say 9:10 departure ... seems unlikely, given that there is not yet an airplane there ...
9:10pm Screens now say 9:23 departure ... but still no airplane
9:15pm An airplane, an airplane!
9:25pm Scheduled departure now 10:00
9:30pm I've now been at O'Hare airport for 8hrs 10min - the same time taken to fly from Manchester to Chicago
9:45pm Gate agent "The crew are on board preparing the airplane ... we'll be boarding shortly"
10:05pm Start boarding
10:07pm Passengers are queuing on the jetway ... no-one allowed on the plane yet, they're trying to switch the internal lights on
10:10pm Lights are on, and on we go ...
10:20pm Pull back from the gate

... at this point I must have dozed off, I've no recollection of the plane taxiing away from the terminal or taking off!

1:05am EDT. Pilot announces that we're preparing to land at Charleston
1:10am Plane lands - 2hrs 55min late
1:15am Phew ... Avis desk is still open, pick up keys for rental car
1:16am Waiting at the baggage carousel ...
1:25am ... still waiting ...
1:30am Bags arriving ... mine is fourth to appear :-)
1:45am walk into the Hampton Inn ... 24hrs 10min after leaving home.