Folkes (48), a former test player and former coach of the Bulldogs in the National Rugby League, is the newly appointed fitness adviser of the West Indies cricket team.
"I see it as a change and a bit of respite to what I was doing," Folkes said yesterday.
"A change is as a good as a holiday.
"It's been good. I'm doing something different and the guys have been receptive as well."
Folkes was asked to join the West Indies squad by his old teaching mate, John Dyson, the West Indies coach.
He has been with the team for just two weeks.
"It's a short-term contract [six months] and we will see where it leads."
Folkes coached the Bulldogs for 11 years.
When his contract ended this year he did not seek a further term.
Folkes played Sydney grade cricket as a 16- and 17-year-old before rugby league took over his life.
He played 245 first-grade games and 308 grade games for the Bulldogs between 1978 and 1991 as well as 24 games for Hull in England.
Folkes also represented New South Wales on nine occasions in the State of Origin and played in five tests forthe Kangaroos from 1986 to 1988.
He was a hard-working second-row forward despite weighing only 85kg. He played in six grand finals (1979, 80, 84, 85, 86 and 88) and was in the winning team on four occasions.
In his first year as coach, the Bulldogs lost the 1998 grand final to the Brisbane Broncos.
The 2004 grand final win continued a unique tradition at the Bulldogs, with every coach appointed by the club since 1978 (Ted Glossop, Warren Ryan, Phil Gould, Chris Anderson and Folkes) winning a premiership.
How is he finding the transition from league to cricket?"It's not hard if you know your business," he said.
"There is a lot less work we do in the gym but it's still a speed, agility and endurance type sport. A lot of the things are similar."
Folkes is feeling his way to see how much work the West Indies players can handle.
"We haven't got a lot of time. The team is playing most of the time and I need to be mindful that the players get paid to play on the field so I don't want to leave everything on the training paddock."
The West Indies team is in New Zealand until mid January and then plays a home series for four months.
"It is something different for me and broadens my horizons," Folkes said.
"I haven't set any expectations and am just going with the flow at the moment."
Folkes had been at the Bulldogs league club for a record 30 years as a player and coach.
"I want to get back into rugby league, but this is a good little interlude for me. I would like to get a job back in the NRL in 2010."
