Arie Luyendyk Jr., The Bachelor’s season 22 lead, walks Us through his amazing journey. Read on to learn 25 things about the heartthrob.
1. Although I have a fear of heights, I’m getting my pilot’s license. It has helped me get over my fear.
2. David “The Hoff” Hasselhoff is a family friend, but I just call him David.
3. When I was a kid, I thought about being a photographer. I used to run around with my Polaroid and snap pictures of whatever I could find.
4. My career as a race car driver started at 14, driving a Formula Ford in Holland.
5. Japan is the No. 1 destination on my bucket list.
6. One snack I can’t live without: RxBars. I’m constantly finding them in my traveling bags and my car.
7. Starting from childhood, Michael Jackson remains one of my favorite artists.
8. My current playlist is full of Lana Del Rey, The Weeknd and my new fave artist, Camila Cabello.
9. Last year I was in the top 250 grossing real estate agents in Arizona. If you’re looking for a realtor, you know who to call!
10. Shades of blue are pretty much the contents of my closet. When you know what works for you, stick to it.
11. One of my most meaningful moments in life was going to Iraq on a goodwill tour to visit the U.S. troops in 2008.
12. I don’t cry often, but when I do it seems to be on an airplane watching a movie.
13. If I had to identify myself with any animal it would be the sloth. I have long, sloth-like limbs.
14. My tattoo “24601” commemorates my connection to Les Misérables’ Jean Valjean.
15. Most people think since I race I would like sports cars. But I’m more of a truck guy.
16. I’m an architecture nerd. Anytime I walk into a new space, I appreciate the building structure or style.
17. The last book I purchased was Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?. I don’t have an answer for you yet, but stay tuned for a possible career move.
18. One of my first jobs was making pizzas. I considered my pepperoni placement pretty artistic.
19. My guilty pleasure is reality TV. I get sucked into pretty much any home improvement show and, of course, The Bachelor!
20. I have a chalkboard wall in my house. It’s the hit of every dinner party I host.
21. I love The Notebook — what can I say, I’m a romantic. I even read the book before it became a movie.
22. I fell in love with Thai food after my best friend’s destination wedding in Thailand last year. Green curry all the way!
23. I love collecting watches. It’s the one thing I can wear with the race suit. And beating the clock is something I’m always trying to do on the track.
24. Something I never travel without is my nice leather backpack and a good cardigan.
25. I’m close not only with fellow Bachelor Sean Lowe, but also with his parents. His mom is in my phone as “Mom,” which can get confusing.
