Scapa Flow drive by

Headed up to Kirkwall tonight to a tai chi beginners class where I was helping out as teaching assistant to our Sufi who reckons that one of the best ways to learn is to teach.

I've helped out a couple of times before in other classes but this was the first time I felt like I knew what I was supposed to be doing and was actually of any use. It was a lot of fun and made me realise how much I've come on the past four years. It also made me realise that those first classes are really hard work. So much to take in and keep in your head as well as a lot of holding poses for long enough that Sufi (and me???) can check everyone is on the right track.

As well as it being good for me to go back to the beginning and highlight all the parts I do wrong it should be interesting to see how it differs from our normal class as the emphasis will be more on the health benefits rather than the full martial art. They will be learning the Short Square Form which I've not done before and can be learned in 12 weeks. I'm sure that at some point though Sufi won't be able to resist showing the martial arts applications... and I think that's maybe why he needs a teaching assistant to demonstrate on.

All this activity though meant that the only chance for a pic was a quick stop beside Scapa Flow on the way to Kirkwall.