Is there everything you need?

Public transport is virtually non existent in Spain and should not be relied on particularly in the winter months.

As I said in a previous post bus stops here don't have shelters if you are waiting with your pet you will both fry in the summer months and get soaked in the winter.

If your circumstances allow it would be worth staying in the area for a couple of weeks to get a feel for the area and the location of the vets and medical centre that way you find out if the area is what you are looking for. 

Something else to consider there is little or no aftercare if you have the misfortune to be hospitalised here in Spain, you would be on your own. When visiting a Doctor if you do not speak Spanish you will be expected to take a translator with you.

Hi Edina and welcome to the forum,

There is a vet in the centre of Bigastro:

https://www.mascotas-clinic.es/bigastro

The Centro de Salud (health centre) is also in the town centre at:

Avenida Tomás Villanueva, 0, 03380 Bigastro

Kind regards,

Kim

Are there no private clinics/hospitals? Doesn't sound like a very nice place .

If I remember correctly from my last visit there was a bus that ran from Orihuella and torrevieja.

Thank you. For pointing this out to me. My move is some time away and I am doing lots of research in a couple of areas I have an uncle over in San Bartolome and as much as I love it there,the bus route to the nearest main hospital with a cancer unit is Torre.(Should I need this,family history is rather iffy on that)! 

moved to Bigastro in Feb.  We love it - the people are lovely.  Yes to plenty of shops but nothing huge, the biggest is a Spar in the town centre.   There is a large Carrefour about 2/3 miles on the way into Orehuela.   My wife has had no problem so far using the bus in and out of Orehuela every week.   Don't have pets so can't answer that one.  We have an English speaking GP in Torrevieja where we lived before and stayed with him because seemed simpler to do.  Start learning the language now, is the biggest tip - generally speaking, there are those who don't but you will have a better time if you make the effort in my opinion - the Spanish do appreciate it.  It is free on duolingo if you can tolerate the odd advert but about £70 per annum for ad-free.

and a street marking in the town centre every thursday.

I.m liking the sound of it more and more.

Is your doctor private or con especial?   There is a vet there I.ve been told.  I will come and rent for a while. I will be alone and a non driver that's the issue. Making sure everything is do able on my own.  Hopefully the covid issues will have sorted it's self out by the time I am able to come. 

Already learning Spanish.  Already thinking ahead. It really will be down to managing on my own. But that would be the same situation here.

There are rough times ahead to get threw. My husband is very poorly. But the thought of no more grass to cut and some daylight is the one thing keeping me going.

I.m sure I will have more questions later.

our doctor is private but we arranged our medical insurance through his surgery as we don't qualify for S1 yet.  Medical insurance is compulsory and we didn't even know it was a private surgery at the time to be honest.  We chose Bigastro to get away from the "little britain" enclaves that do exist.  Nothing wrong with that, just not what we want. There is a lovely little village about a mile to the east of Bigastro but we couldn't find a place to suit us at the time.  It is called Jacarilla; well worth looking at too if you want somewhere quaint and quiet - there are shops, bars, doctor etc though!

I was looking at San Bartolome. It's still not off the table. I will not qualify for the S1 for quite some time. Question about insurance companies will come when I get closer to moving. I have an uncle in San Bartolome.  Not sure if he will be around by the time I get there. Glad to hear your wife has been using the busses and good to hear how far Carrefour is. I will be cycling everywhere.