London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 17, 2026

These Legendary Surfers’ Converted School Bus Connects to a Three-Story Tree House on Hawaii

These Legendary Surfers’ Converted School Bus Connects to a Three-Story Tree House on Hawaii

Aamion and Daize Goodwin’s radical digs in Hanalei, Kauai, can best be described as “Peter Pan” meets “Swiss Family Robinson.”

The Goodwin family’s global nomadic surf lifestyle, brought to life in the film Given by Jess Bianchi, inspired many, showing parents that surf travel doesn’t have to end when kids enter the picture. Today their lives are just as inspiring. Between trips abroad, the family of five calls home a converted school bus and triple-decker tree house on the North Shore of Kauai. They’re pretty much living every surfer’s fantasy, including their own.



Who are you? Tell us a little about yourselves.


We are parents, business owners, and lovers of the Earth. Family comes first and surfing second. We are creators and builders of whatever we fall in love with; that has given us the sweetest life.



Where are you from? How long have you lived on Kauai?


Aamion: I have been living here on and off since before I was five, but this is more home than any other place. We’ve had this property for 13 years.

Daize: I moved here when I was 16 and fell completely in love with it. I knew I would end up here again one day.



What are your favorite parts about your home?


Our favorite part is the fact that nature is all around us and we can call it our own. We are outside people, so the yard captures our hearts most of the day, but the tree house and bus do the same for the evenings.



What are your favorite parts about Kauai?


We’re lucky enough to call this place home. The community has a small-town feel. The tropical environment, the ocean, and the mountains; it’s an amazing place to wake up every day.

When and how did you first get into surfing?


Aamion: I fell in love with surfing when I was about 10, and once I got the speed under my feet, it took the love to a whole new level. I’m over 40 years old now and I found a new love in surfing with our children. It’s like a whole new life, a rebirth and renewed love for the ocean.

Daize: I really fell in love with surfing when I was about 15, even though I had been bodyboarding for years. Nothing else gave me a greater sense of self-expression or a safe place to let go. I will never stop.



You both have traveled the world surfing professionally and for recreation. What are your top three favorite places in the world and why?


Daize: Fiji, Australia, and the outer islands here in the Hawaiian chain. Tropical places with waves are my favorites for sure.

Aamion: Hard to pick favorites. For me it’s somewhere remote with a simple life and a culture centered on the ocean. I like being out there far away from our fast-paced world.



How did having kids change your lives?


Aamion: For us, kids gave us a true sense of purpose. A desire to really be better, become better, do better, and ultimately start the path of becoming our true selves. Traveling with kids is amazing. When you land in a new place people are so welcoming. There is no judgment or fear accompanied by your presence. Kids make you feel joyful and have an easy flow. The travel in between can be tough at times though!



Any parting thoughts, words of wisdom, or sage advice?


Try your best not to allow fear to creep into your mind. Things don’t get done unless you get started. If you can dream it, you can live it.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Asthma Charity Warns of Major Gaps in Childhood Diagnostic Testing Across England
TUC Chief Paul Nowak Appointed to Bank of England Court
Bristol Opens £35 Million Deep-Tech Innovation Hub at Temple Quarter
Oxfordshire Village Votes Symbolically to Leave UK Over Asylum Housing Plan
Andy Burnham Deepens UK Defense and AI Cooperation With NATO and Canada
UK Government Announces Neonatal Safety Reforms After Thirlwall Inquiry
Bank of England Weighs Rate Decision as UK Inflation Rises to 3.1%
UK Health Unions Warn of Staffing Pressures as Public and Private Pay Growth Diverges
Rockstar Games Faces Tribunal Claims From 23 Former Grand Theft Auto VI Developers
UK Treasury Faces Tighter Budget Constraints as Borrowing Costs and Pension Spending Rise
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Sets Out Ten-Year Plan for Greater Public Oversight of Utilities
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July as Services and Technology Activity Strengthen
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Leaders Coordinate Push for UK Constitutional Change
Police Tighten Public-Order Measures After Anti-Immigration Protests in Dover and Portsmouth
UK Ministers Pressed for Answers After US Diplomat Accused of Child Abuse Images Leaves Britain
Jaguar Land Rover Pursues NATO Defense Contracts for Defender Vehicles
British Service Member Dies in Road Accident While Deployed in Ukraine
George Osborne Calls for Britain to Rejoin EU Customs Union
Anthropic Chief Dario Amodei Urges Faster UK Action on Advanced AI Risks
UK State Pension Set for 3.9% Rise Under Triple Lock
UK Labour Market Cools as Payrolled Employment Continues to Decline
Reform UK’s £72 Million in Donations Faces Scrutiny Under Proposed Retrospective Funding Rules
UK Doctors Warn Expanded Pharmacy First Scheme Could Put Patients at Risk
British Airlines Cut Short-Haul Capacity as Jet Fuel Costs Rise
UK News Publishers Forecast 40% Search Traffic Drop as AI Overviews Expand
Axel Springer Wins Approval for £575 Million Daily Telegraph Acquisition
London Mayor Sadiq Khan Opposes Heathrow Third Runway Over Climate Targets
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Leaders Hold Summit Seeking Greater Autonomy
UK Energy Price Cap Set to Rise to £1,723 in October
UK Treasury Warns Middle East Conflict Is Threatening Economic Growth
Labour Moves to Retrospectively Cap Overseas Political Donations After Reform UK Funding Surge
HMRC Warns Nearly Seven Million Adults Are Unclear About State Pension Entitlements
UK Parliament Passes Sovereign Grant Reform Before Conference Recess
British Rail Passengers Gain Automatic Right to Switch Operators During Disruptions
Burnham Hosts Downing Street Business Summit as UK Fiscal Pressure Builds
Labour Government Moves to Challenge £72 Million in Reform UK Crypto Donations
UK Advertising Industry Warns Wider Junk Food Rules Could Put £1 Billion in Media Spending at Risk
Cornwall Opens Devolution Talks With UK Government Over Transport and Local Services
UK Parliament Considers Sovereign Grant Reform Setting Royal Funding at £99.9 Million
Trades Union Congress Calls for Income-Based Energy Tariff Funded by Higher Bank Levy
UK Prime Minister Rejects Second Scottish Independence Referendum
House of Lords Begins Scrutiny of Bill to Lower UK Voting Age to 16
Anthropic Says Claude Was Exploited in Weapons-Related and State-Linked Cyber Activity
Institute of Directors Urges UK Government to Avoid Business Tax Increases in Autumn Budget
Rising Gilt Yields Cut UK Fiscal Headroom to About £13 Billion Ahead of Budget
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July as Services and Technology Activity Strengthen
UK Government Promises Clearer Student Loan Guidance After Repayment Backlash
Charities Warn Unpaid Carers May Die Before Receiving Government Compensation
Dover Unrest Prompts Review of UK Counter-Extremism Strategy
Celtic Summit Leaders Reassert Right to Pursue Independence From UK
×