Short documentary profile created by Erica Lies and J. Faye Yuan.

Wander Womxn follows six womxn living on the road, as they set out to redefine their relationship to work, their communities, and themselves. Peeling back Instagram’s veneer of #vanlife glamor, we go behind the scenes to discover a loosely formed community of solo female travelers taking charge of their emotional and working lives.

There isn’t one kind of solo female vanlifer. They span a wide variety of occupations, ages, and backgrounds. These are students, photographers, illustrators, adventure guides, writers, athletes, indigenous activists, and womxn who take having fun more seriously than their jobs. Some are fully nomadic, some stick to one city, and still others take a part-time approach.

#Vanlife may be characterized by its material minimalism, but solo women vanlifers are paring down emotionally as well. It’s an opportunity to discover their own wants, desires, and interests free from outside pressure. One freelance photographer, also the founder of a women in the outdoors festival, calls this the “abandon the ship model,” where you leave everything behind and make nomadic living an integral part of your work. Another Ivy League-educated indigenous woman plans to advocate for outdoors equity post graduation, using her van as a vehicle for social change. Both cherish found communities on the road, while prioritizing exploration over material possessions. All the womxn strive to not let work define them, with one fun-loving maverick proclaiming, “Get your fun done before the sun goes down… and then go to work.” She works the evening shift at the Apple store.

Cultivating a deeper relationship with solitude is a common theme. Vanlifers spend significant time alone, whether on long drives or camping deep within the desert, and that can lead to some serious introspection and personal growth. One woman, who was her ailing father’s primary caretaker, whose illness led to her decision to do full-time road travel, credits vanlife with giving her the chance to grieve her father’s death on her own timeline. “You’re not living by societal norms or following rules or regulations. It gives you the space to accept your emotions as they come.” Another, a 27-year-old adventure guide, admits to road travel being a container for grief after suddenly losing her husband, but not without its challenges.

“I'll be driving down the road, and I'll see an area that brings back some stupid little memory, and I'll just break down on the side of the road and just start bawling my eyes out. Or I'll be listening to a song and you know, it'll bring back another visual memory of us traveling together.”

Reminiscent of the existential hunger found in Jack Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD and David Henry Thoreou’s WALDEN, these wandering souls are rewriting the America road narrative armed with new digital tools that enable them to better capitalize on their creativity.