I think what Monroe meant with "Locale 1" is our physical world, our physical universe. He visited a physical world similar to ours, seemingly occupying a body there, but if this world is within our physical world nobody knows; he called it "Locale 3" (his first book).

The category "physical world" or "our time-space" or so is never certain. For example, the Focus Levels above C1 are experienced by some people as quite physical, by others not. It probably depends on how much the traveler accepts non-physical possibilities, and/or how much the traveler's mindset is influenced by the "spirit" of the visited place.

I had some journeys to Focus21 where I was inside a structure with many holes which seemed to me entrances to other worlds beyond our solar system. When I entered one, I found me as a being with a sort of strange body, it was very flexible, non-solid, airy, more like an electric field or so, but stable. Another world appeared to consist of dark tunnels filled with fluid, and I sensed lifeforms with bodies of a honey-like consistence.

I can't tell whether these were physical or nonphysical worlds. Once I mind-travel around the difference seems not really noticeable. I think a more noticeable difference is how much one is focused on a place; when someone is focused (almost) 100% on one place, it appears as very real, and it could be that then we tend to say "it was so real, like in the physical".

Spooky

If one were to visit a parallel universe, it would probably have to be nonphysically, unless one has access to ET technology which enables physical transport through parallel dimensions.  Any method of consciousness projection would work, all you would have to do is state your intent. 

I have been to locations nonphysically which seem like parallel universes, where things are similar, yet there are some major differences.  I will look out my window and see completely new scenery and buildings, and yet the beach or the lake is still in the same place. But whether these are actually parallel worlds or just astral realms I do not know.

I do not know how one can physically shift from one parallel dimension to another, other than through a black hole.  I suppose by adjusting one's frequency to that of another dimension this can be achieved.  This is not difficult to do out of body, but in the physical it would take a true master of consciousness.  

Perceiving a parallel physical realm may be possible while awake, but it would take more than just listening to hemisync to pull off.  It would require one to have a very high state of consciousness and be totally in tune with themselves, the universe, and god.  When individuals awaken their kundalini they are said to be able to perceive higher dimensions while physically awake.  

I would experiment with this idea in altered states of consciousness before attempting anything in C1.

Thanks, men.

Ethereal worlds can be seen by physical eyes, because ethere is physical too. Needs some training. But I'm speaking about not subtle physical, like ethere, but mere physical worlds.

I don't know... If one is really out of time, like he should be in focus 15, so much discussed here  , he must be able to get anywhere he wants and to see anything he wants. "To Access ALL That Is" as said in the exercise. I think I've never experienced the true focus 15 with open eyes, because if time doesn't exist, consequently - space doesn't exist too. Never perceived something like that, except after dissociative drugs.