RE: Help to absoulte newbie!
You really cannot go wrong with the Savage, E-Maxx or E-Revo. They are fun to bash around, they can take some decent abuse and the parts are readily available.
I am more of a nitro guy than electric but, in your situation, I would recomend going with an electric (brushed or brushless). Having nitro shipped to a remote area can be a pain in the rear end. If you can get someone to ship it to you, it will likely be expensive.