I recently got my first heli and would recommend a .30 size glow powered heli. A hirobo shuttle or raptor with an os .32 would be ideal. If you are on a budget I would probably avoid the helicopter. Just getting started will cost about 500-600 not including the radio. A couple of crashes(and you will crash) will cost 100-200 depending on how bad they are. R/C heli are anything but cheap.
Look at www.spadtothebone.com here is an inexpensive and fun alternative to try. The planes are cheap to build, cheap to repair and lots of fun. I'd get a flight simulator in the meantime
and practice flying the planes and helicopters.