8) Art & Culture – The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is a work of art in itself and worth visiting even if you’re not interested in wealth of art and artefacts contained therein. The museum is an incredibly daring structure built from titanium, glass and stone, and it beats at heart of this city of contrasts. Madrid’s Reina Sofia Museum is tame in architectural comparison but it houses one of Picasso’s greatest works, in fact, possibly one of greatest works of 20th Century namely Guernica…if you want art and culture, Spain has it in heaps and every city, town or region you visit will offer you a whole host of opportunity to experience Spanish cultural riches.

9) World Heritage Sites - The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is dedicated to ensuring future generations inherit treasures of past by working to protect both cultural and natural sites of significance worldwide. Spain has over 35 sites that have been flagged as world heritage sites – we challenge you to visit them all!

10) Tomato Fighting – not fighting tomatoes (that would be silly), but fighting with tomatoes in Valencia in August. Yes, one of strangest of all Spanish festivals and carnivals is La Tomatina where upwards of 30,000 semi-naked people gather to throw tomatoes at each other before getting washed down by hoses of local fire brigade…it is truly an experience worth…well…experiencing really! If only to say ‘been there, done that.’

Spain is different! It is a country which effortlessly and seamlessly combines a plethora of fiestas, indefatigable nightlife, stunning and diverse natural scenery, supposedly impossible to achieve levels of synergy between ancient and modern architecture and artistic culture, fun and fascination, beautiful people, incredible cuisine, sun, sea, sand and sangria - to create a variety and spice of life you will never experience outside of Spain.

YOUR BELONGINGS - Will you be taking everything with you or leaving some items in storage (or even getting rid of them completely)? How will you move your belongings? Can you transport them yourself or do you need services of a moving company? Set aside those things you need to take with you in person so they don't get packed accidentally (passports, tickets, etc.)

INSURANCE - Once you've decided what you're taking with you, insure it. If you haven't already arranged appropriate insurance (health/life/travel, etc.) for yourself and your family as well...DO SO!

BANKING - You may need to open a new bank account in your new country - look for information on one which suits you best. Do you need to close your current bank account? At very least you'll need to tell your current bank that you're moving.

CREDIT CARDS - Credit card companies need to be informed you're moving. Also, will credit cards you're taking with you be widely accepted?

DRIVING - Depending on where you're going and how long you're going to be there you may need to apply for a new driving license or even take a driving test. Will you take your car with you or buy/rent/lease one when you get to your destination country?

UTILITIES etc - Gas, electricity, cable companies and so on will need to be informed of your departure and contracts terminated where appropriate. Make arrangements for final meter readings and bill payments.

POST REDIRECTION - Having your mail redirected after you leave can prevent you from missing something important.

ELECTRIC DEVICES AND MOBILE PHONES - Check whether or not your TV, video, hair dryer, alarm clock etc will work in new country. You may need to take out a new network subscription for a mobile phone (or buy a new one with a subscription) - watch out for roaming charges with your current phone if you use it.

EMAIL - If moving means you can't keep your current email address, consider a free web based email account you can access from anywhere.

And finally, a couple of important tips for when you get to your new country...

MAKE FRIENDS - Whether locals or fellow expats, nothing will help you more than being able to rely on assistance of your friends when you need it. Don't think that socialising is time wasted, it's what makes a new country feel like home.

DON'T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF - Moving to a new country is difficult. Even when everything goes according to plan it's still difficult. There will be times when you're physically and emotionally exhausted but try not to let things get on top of you. Don't be shy about asking for help or support, there are plenty of people who have been there before.

Good luck!