As you may know, Onward Travel is celebrating our tenth anniversary this year. But you may not know that we traveled in small groups long before this company launched! Molly and Kat’s grandmother, Winnie, and mother Peggi, owned a cooking school in Sellersville, Pennsylvania called The Cooking Cottage for 25 years. It is there where the seeds of Onward Travel were sprouted as Winnie and Peggi would host annual culinary tours for their home cook customers. 

The very first trip happened back in 1995 to La Pitchoune, the cooking school at Julia Child’s former home in Provence, France. One of the travelers to join Winnie and Peggi was Marion Bardman. 

Marion far left, Peggi center, and Winnie far right

Marion was a longtime student of The Cooking Cottage and a seasoned traveler. She took many trips to Europe related to her love of gardening and one day suggested to Winnie she should consider hosting trips for home cooks. The Cooking Cottage eventually partnered with La Pitchoune and brought a small group of travelers to the French Riviera for the inaugural trip. 

Marion has been on 25(ish) trips with The Cooking Cottage and later, Onward Travel. Even though it was almost thirty years ago, that first trip still stands out to her. 

“The first trip is hard to repeat. We had such a small group, there were about ten of us. We stayed on premises and observed (there was no hands-on cooking back then) the chef cook dishes Julia Child made in that very same kitchen. We then feasted on the meal, and it was utterly delicious. I still have that apron which says, “Cooking with Friends in France,” among many other aprons collected from trips over the years,” said Marion. It was such a special place to her that Marion brought her daughter and daughter-in-law to La Pitchoune on their own years later. 

Marion far right, Winnie front row third from right, Peggi front row third from left

Marion has lost track of the number of trips she has been a part of with Molly and Kat and their family, but some of the more recent ones include tours to:

• Basque Country, Spain
• Amalfi Coast and Rome, Italy
• The Czech Republic
• London
• Croatia
• Italy’s Northern Lakes
• New Orleans
• Provence & Côte d’Azur, France
• San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
• Ireland
• Norway’s Fjordlands

And Marion is already booked for The Magical Land of Puglia with Viktorija in April 2025!

Marion has been like family to Molly and Kat over the years. She has watched them grow up, attended their weddings and even knows their young children now. “They are like granddaughters to me. I love them, and we communicate all the time,” said Marion. 

Molly, Marion, Jan and Jeannette with Kat at her wedding

90 Years Young

Winnie, Peggi, Molly, and Kat will celebrate Marion’s 90th birthday with her in person this month. She is hosting a party at the Bay Pony Inn in Harleysville, Pennsylvania and expecting about one hundred guests. “I am going to make a point of briefly introducing each table and say how they are associated with me because I think that personal touch is sometimes missing from events. You want to know who is at table two and how do they know the host! I have lots of friends I have made over the years on my trips that will be in attendance, so I have fellow travelers coming from as far away as Chicago and Florida,” said Marion. 

Marion’s own family, which includes three children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren plus lots of cousins will be there to celebrate her as well. 

Traveling is her Hobby

In addition to Onward Travel trips, Marion travels a lot with other organizations such as the American Horticultural Society. She and her husband traveled all over the world together and did biking trips around the U.S. and even to Southern China. 

“I guess you can say that traveling is my hobby. I love seeing other cultures and meeting people. It is just interesting to see the terrain. This last trip to Norway and the landscape was so different. We took a RIB (rigid inflatable boat) boat ride on the gorgeous Sognefjord. I really enjoyed that trip!” said Marion.

Marion in her boat gear in Norway

One of the reasons Marion keeps coming back to Onward Travel tours is that she likes the small groups. “I have gotten to know so many of the other travelers over the years. I went to Mexico, Ireland and Norway, and there were several of the same people on those trips. Even though I traveled by myself for some of the trips, I would always find people I knew,” said Marion. If you are worried about booking a tour as a solo traveler, Marion says you always happen to find someone on the tour with similar interests. 

Traveling Helps Keep You Fit

As a former physical education teacher, Marion has always prioritized fitness. In addition to biking, she used to play a lot of golf. Today, you can find her on the pickleball courts at her retirement community in Central Florida during the winter playing what is called “dinking” which is a shorter game played close to the net. Pennsylvania is her home for the rest of the year. 

“I have been extremely fortunate that I can still do a lot of walking. I may not be the fastest in the group, but there is always someone in the group willing to lend me an arm if I need it. At my age, I see so many people who cannot walk. I am lucky, and I am going to take advantage of it and keep going as long as I can!” said Marion.

Marion on the Amalfi Coast

Food Focused

One of the draws of Onward Travel tours for many travelers is the focus on food. Marion remembers her trips to the Amalfi Coast and Greece specifically because of the menus. Some current trips like Cook Like a Tuscan are more focused on cooking, whereas others like Basque Country Culinary Immersion will see travelers enjoy a variety of experiences dining out. No matter your level of cooking skill or gourmet knowledge, you are sure to find others to connect with as you share these great experiences with your group. 

“We used to do a lot of cooking on the older tours. I loved that then, but I do not do that much  cooking at home now. So, I am happy to do more sightseeing due to my age and personal interests. Most of the people are avid home cooks so everyone shares stories and recipes. We are all looking to improve our skills, but none of us want to be chefs. We are there more for the food entertainment,” said Marion.

Marion, center, in Basque Country, Spain

That entertainment has included meeting impressive chefs over the years. Marion had the opportunity to meet Chef Leah Chase, a James Beard award-winning chef in New Orleans known as the “Queen of Creole Cuisine.”

Chef Leah Chase and Marion

After Chef Chase passed away in 2019, Marion returned to New Orleans and visited her grave. Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in the Treme-Lafitte neighborhood continues the chef’s traditions into the present day.

Marion at Chef Leah Chase’s Grave

Ruth, Chef, and Marion in Italy in 1997

Chef and Marion 2017 in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast

Travel Advice from a Pro

With all her years of experience, Marion shares her best advice for fellow travelers:

1. When traveling overseas, Marion suggests travelers always purchase insurance, especially if they are older. Marion learned this important lesson when she traveled with her sister-in-law on a trip to Switzerland. Her sister-in-law became ill and had to stay in the hospital for a couple of weeks but because she had insurance, everything was paid for. “All you need to do is step off a curb wrong and fall and you can get hurt. So, I always purchase insurance,” said Marion. 
2. Do not pack too much clothing! “I can go with a carry-on bag for almost a week because I can coordinate and reuse clothing. I may bring two pairs of pants with multiple tops. If you will be going to nice restaurants, pack a couple of dresses that you can roll up and not get wrinkled. Shoes take up a lot of space so be sure to wear the heaviest, bulkiest ones on the plane. No one in your group is going to care if you wear something twice,” said Marion. “I remember traveling to Europe for the first time in the eighties and we wore suits with stockings and heels every day. We did not even wear pants in those days!” 

Marion in Tuscany, Italy, with her great traveling companion, Jeannette

Why Marion Chooses Onward Travel Again and Again

Marion also remembers the early days of travel when everyone would meet at the Cooking Cottage and get in the van and travel to the destination together. Now, travelers manage their own flight arrangements (though Onward Travel can certainly help!) and meet at the destination. Marion acknowledges how far Onward Travel has come since then and loves the professional expertise Molly and Kat bring to their tours. 

Marion showing off her tote bags on the Savoring Seattle culinary tour

“They take such loving care of their travelers. If anyone has a problem, they make sure you are taken care of. They will help with advice and airfares. And they have the best itineraries! The food appeals to a lot of people because it includes fine dining as well as local mom and pop places. They provide a lot of variety on their tours which include diverse types of people of various ages and demographics. They somehow find the local favorites, not just the typical tourist destinations. I have made so many good friends on these trips, and I look forward to making even more!” said Marion. 

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