There’s a new community of travelers emerging that would give the Beat Generation a run for their money.
“Van life” refers to nomads who pack up their life into a camper van, typically equipped with basic amenities, and drive cross country – with some still working on the road.
For Cori Geiger, this means having a kitchen, fridge, and even a living room/office space that converts into a bedroom in seconds.
But where did the desire to leave it all behind stem from? Much like other new societal norms, the pandemic serves as ground zero.
“I guess it all starts with the pandemic,” said Geiger. “The rent prices were astronomical…I was looking for really minimal things, a studio apartment that would allow a large dog and it was hard to find anything that was under $3,000.”
When she discovered #Vanlife, Geiger became exposed to a world of opportunity that would allow her to travel and work within the budget she desired.
Although there are obvious obstacles that the van life community faces, apps help connect these travelers to clean water, areas for parking overnight, hot showers, and reliable WiFi. Despite the rising costs of gas, Geiger says she is still saving money compared to living in an apartment.
The widespread adoption of remote working capabilities has allowed the van life community to flourish in recent years and creates room for a new subsector of digital nomads to emerge.
