Words of wisdom there from @Hughes500.
I would add. Learning to fly a helicopter is one thing. Learning to operate a helicopter to do what you (@reubensmurphy) want to do is something entirely different. In other words, aiming to be a recreational pilot, stick to Day VFR over the Canterbury rolling green countryside. Aim to do 200 hours per year of that for a few years before ever considering going into the mountains, particularly in winter.